West End High School
by Eponine T.Daae
Summary: As if High School wasnt bad enough as it is, now Eponine's world is constantly crumbling at her feet and the constant teasing on part of Les Amis doesn't help either. But is there someone who can help her through it all? Someone who was always there but she never noticed?I do NOT own Les Miserables (Rated T just in case) Modern Day AU... POSTED IN PLAYS AS WELL!
1. Another Day

**So this is my first Les Miserables story. I hope it's ok**

**Please review and tell me what you think!**

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The sun streaked through the thin curtains and onto the cracked wooden floors as Eponine Thenardier looked in the mirror, running her fingers through her dark curly hair. It was tangled and frizzy and completely out of control, after countless tries to do something with her hair she gave up and leaned over to snatch up her brown hat. After putting it on, she was fairly pleased with what she saw. Looking down her reflection she closely studied the white shirt, brown shorts and black leggings, she was wearing. All of which came from the second-hand down the street. It wasn't much but it was definitely Eponine.

A quick knock at the door bought Eponine out of her inner musing

"Eponine hurry up!" she heard her sister whisper through her door. She rolled her eyes glanced over at her clock.

_7:12, oh crap!_

She felt her heart skip a beat as she realized she was going to be late for school. She grabbed her backpack and slipped on her worn out boots and she made her way out of her and into the kitchen, careful to be as quiet as possible so as not to wake up her family, especially her parents –they were not morning people and they were very eminent about making that point to all of them. She left a lunch ready for her little brother Gavroche and stuffed an apple in her bag before before slipping out the door, quiet as a cat, and starting her long walk to school.

* * *

It was mid October but the breezy weather proved to be both a blessing and a curse for the girls, it wasn't freezing cold but the wind still proved to have the capacity to chill them both to the bone. The leaves were just started to fall and they crunched under their feet as they walked, other than that crunching the walk was silent. Eponine's mind started to wonder as they kept going, her thoughts proving to be much better company than the silence between her and her sister.

"Eponine?" asked Azelma, finally getting bored of the silence as well

"Hmm?" she replied, coming out her trance

Alzema smirked, "What are thinking about?"

She shrugged, "Nothing in particular."

"Come on you were thinking about something, tell me!" She whined, "Or perhaps you were thinking of someone?"

Eponine's cheeks deepened in color and froze for a second, but she quickly shook it, though it was enough for Azelma to notice.

"Ha I knew it!"

Eponine rolled her eyes, "You don't know anything."

"I actually know a lot of things." She countered, placing her hands on her hips and smirking at Eponine as if challenging her

"Whatever Azelma"

"So who is this someone?"

"Can't say," Eponine relied as she tossed her hair over her shoulder, "because there isn't anyone."

"Cut the crap 'Ponine, I know you were thinking of someone, you were making that face."

"What face?"

"Your happy face." She smirked

Eponine raised an eyebrow, "My happy face?"

"You know that face that you get whenever you are thinking about being with someone, that special someone who makes your heart flutter and butterflies fly all around your stomach."

"I think you have been reading too many romance novels."

"Deny it all you want but I know you were thinking about someone."

"If it helps you sleep at night then think what you want." She muttered

"Oh you're no fun!"

"Never said I was."

Azelma stuck her tongue out at her and Eponine rolled her eyes, sometimes it amazed her just how much of a kid Azelma was. She was only a year younger than her but she was so more light hearted and childlike than her you would think Eponine was twice her age.

The two girls kept walking. It was early in the morning so the rest of the road was empty except for a blue car that drove past them. A gush of wind blew on them causing them to shiver and Eponine pulled her thin jacket tighter around her shoulders. If there as one thing she hated about living so close to the windy city it was the cold gusts of wind it brought to her. Out of the corner of their eyes the two girls noticed a car drive past them in the opposite direction they were going, but neither paid much mind to it. However when the same car drove past them again and pulled over a few feet ahead of them they got suspicious. Out of instinct Eponine stood in front of her younger sister protectively and slowed down her pace. She quickly scanned the road; trying to see where to run should they have to make a quick getaway. The car door opened, causing Eponine to practically stop in her stop but she could see the passenger coming out cautiously. What she saw made her sigh in relief, the passenger that came out was a young girl, about her age with blonde hair and bright blue eyes, she was well dressed and her hair was styled very nicely, a warm smile was also prominent on her face.

"Hi, are you guys heading to West End High?" She asked, Eponine nodded, "That's great! We were heading there too only we don't exactly know where it is? Would you like a ride? We can take you and you can tell us how to get there."

A smile appeared on Eponine's face. The girl seemed really sweet and innocent and her cheerfulness was contagious. Besides it was cold and Azelma looked liked she would kill her if she didn't except the ride to school.

She nodded at the blonde girl, "Sounds like a fair deal."

"Great!" the blonde beamed

Eponine and Azelma scurried over to the car and slid in. The driver was an older man who they assumed was the girl's father. As soon as they were in he drove off and Eponine gave him some simple directions to the school. As they were driving the blonde turned back to look at the two girls a bit nervously.

"I'm Cosette by the way. Cosette Fauchelevent"

Eponine tensed a bit when she heard that name, her memory flinging back at her, but decided not to say anything in case she was wrong, Azelma didn't react at all, further prompting Eponine's silence. Cosette looked at her expectantly but Eponine remained silent. Due to her silence Azelma sighed and smiled at Cosette.

"I'm Azelma, and that's" she sneered jokingly as she nudged her head over to indicate her sister, "Eponine."

Eponine noticed the man tense a little at the mention of her name but he too decided to remain silent since Cosette seem to have to reaction whatsoever, maybe she wasn't so off after all.

"So is this your first day?" she asked Cosette

"Yes," she blushed, "I'm not going to lie I am a bit nervous."

"Don't be, the school is very open and it's still the beginning of the year so I am sure you will catch up." Reassured Azelma

"You really think so?"

"I know so."

Right then they pulled up to the school and all three girls thanked Cosette's dad as they exited the car, but as he drove off and they walking closer to the school Cosette's eyes grew large with nerves.

"Don't worry too much. It will be fine." Eponine reassured Cosette.

"Thank you, at least I'm going in with at least one friend right?" she asked looking at the two girls.

"Make that two." Eponine answered smiling.

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**I know it's short but I just wanted to get it started before the movie came out. PLEASE REVIEW!**


	2. Les Amis de l'abc

_**I hope you all like this next chapter  
**_

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After they entered the school Azelma saw some of her friends and quickly slipped away, leaving Eponine alone with Cosette. It was obvious to her that Cosette was completely lost so Eponine helped her figure out her locker combination, her schedule and even given her tips for getting around the school. She saw that they only had one class with her, English, but so far she thought Cosette was pleasant and liked her, though she was by far the opposite of Eponine. Cosette was very sweet and proper, she obviously had money as her clothes were stylish, preppy and brand name and she was completely shy, a far cry from Eponine. She was a little more outgoing and had a sarcastic side to her, she also was on the poorer side, all of her clothes were second-handed and from re-sale shops, but after some time Eponine had a knack for finding nice things there, she had her own way of pulling them off, kind of an edgy way. Even though Eponine's stomach knotted a bit when she thought about her and Cosette's past, Cosette didn't seem to have any recollection, or if she did she never showed it, and Eponine decided to force the feeling down, being nice to Cosette was a sort of penance in Eponine's mind.

After she had helped Cosette get started she bid her goodbye and entered her first class, French with Mr. Hugo. Eponine wasn't a bad student but she found that she couldn't pay attention, they were going over the vocabulary from the day before and she had already had it down, French was one subject that Eponine felt comfortable in so she didn't worry too much as her mind kept leaving the room. The same feeling was mutual as she kept going through her day, in History she was looking out the window letting her thoughts fly away when all of a sudden she noticed Mr. Javert, the vice-principal, chase down a student and then drag him inside by the collar of this shirt. A smile formed on Eponine's face as she realized the boy he dragged in was none other than Alan Montparnasse. He was the leader of the school "gang" and for some odd reason he had taken a liking to Eponine, perhaps that was because he was one her dad's "friends" and had been since she was in seventh grade, either way Eponine hated him and always enjoyed it when he got caught in some crime.

"Eponine?" she heard a voice call

"What- huh?" she was suddenly brought back to the room and turned around and looked up so see her history teacher standing over her.

"The bell rang two minutes ago."

Eponine's cheeks deepened a shade, "Oh thank you, sorry."

"Not a problem, just try to say on Earth in the future."

"Will do" She called over her shoulder as she gathered her stuff and left.

* * *

It was lunch for many of the students at West End, though it being 11 am, all those who had it saw it more as a brunch. Eponine walked around wide-eyed, trying to see if she could find any of her friends, especially her closest friend Marius Pontmercy. They had known each other since freshman year when they had been locker neighbors. They shared many classes together that year and on one occasion she had saved he from the school's gang and he in turn gave her his desert for a month. Since then they had been close friends, and she was even buddies with his other friends as well, they were all free-spirited thinkers and very outspoken, she fit in well with them. They were all boys though, and as much as she loved them all she was glad she had befriended Cosette earlier that day. She kept scanning the room trying to find anyone she recognized, their lunch table had been moved from its usual spot and she had no idea where anyone was, she usually didn't eat lunch with them either way but today she felt like mixing things up a bit, she was so preoccupied with that, she didn't notice someone creep up behind her till he poked her side with his finger. She spun around to face her attacker, only to laugh when she saw him.

"Ricky Grantaire!" she giggled, "You jerk; you scared the daylights out of me!"

The boy grinned, "Well if you paid more attention to things, I wouldn't have caught you so off guard."

"If you don't poke me then this wouldn't be an issue in the first place."

"But it's fun; besides who can resist poking a pretty girl?" he said, jabbing another finger to her side and yet another to her shoulder.

"Decent people?" she responded sarcastically, trying her best not to laugh as his fingers tickled her.

"Hey now, don't go insulting me, I just gave you a compliment."

She just gave him a come-on-now glare and shook her head.

"Grantaire stop pestering Eponine." Called a voice a few feet from them

They turned around slightly to see their friend Aiden Enjolras giving Grantaire a disproving look. There was no odder pair than them, he and Grantaire were polar opposites- Aiden was very articulate, tall, always put his school first, and had a serious personality, while Ricky was very fun loving and care free, he was a joker and never took anything too seriously (he also had a slight addiction to caffeine though most people tried to avoid that conversation) and above all Ricky was a partier - it was a wonder they were friends but they were, and close ones for that matter. Though much of it came from Enjolras having to save Grantaire's ass from all the situations he got himself into. He was really more of Grantaire's than Eponine's, she had talk to him a few times but it was never really anything life changing, especially since he usually had his nose to the grindstone. They were mostly friends by association, but neither really had a problem with the other, in fact they often joked that both preferred each others company to Grantaire's.

"For your information I was not pestering her."

Enjolras raised an eyebrow at him.

Eponine shrugged, "He's right, he wasn't pestering me, poking is the correct term."

Enjolras just let a laugh out through his nose and shook his head, "Leave it to Grantaire."

"I know right?"

"You know I really don't enjoy you guys laughing at me."

Eponine cocked her head a bit, "Don't think of us as laughing at you Grantaire, think of us as laughing with you."

"Your reverse psychology won't work on me Eponine!"

"A girl can try can't she?"

Just then another boy appeared in the doorway, he had wavy brown hair and blue eyes, as soon as he saw the three he ran over with a smile on his face.

"Hey 'Ponine!"

"Hiya Marius, where have you been?"

"I've been trying to find everyone, our tables been moved."

"Yea I noticed."

"Come to think of it," interrupted Grantaire, "What are you doing here Eppy?"

"Eppy? Really Grantaire, really?"

"Do you like it I came up with it myself?"

"Well-"

"But that's beside the point."

"Well that was your point?" she asked, apparently annoyed

"My original question; why are you here?"

"Where else would I be?"

Grantaire pondered on that for a moment before continuing, "I don't know, wherever it is that you go at lunch."

Eponine remained silent not really knowing what else to say and instead just rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Do you have a problem with me being here?"

"What? Oh no, of course not."

Enjolras sighed, "Honestly Grantaire, could you be any less articulate."

"Well I'm sorry, we can't all be amazing debaters and speakers like you."

Marius stepped in, "Why don't we just try to find everyone? I don't know about you guys but I am starved."

"Sounds good to me." Chimed in Eponine, she almost always agreed with what Marius said.

They four of them scanned the room once more and quickly found some of their other friends all the way across the room seated at a large table. They quickly made their way over and sat their stuff down without a word. They were greeted by Mason Joly, Derek Combeferre, Adam Courfeyrac, and Jean Prouvaire, though they for some reason all of them (including Grantaire and Enjolras) preferred being called by their last names, Eponine never questioned it. The three boys went off to buy their lunch and Eponine stayed at the table.

"Eponine, why are you wearing shorts? It's mid-October, and is cold out! You'll catch a cold."

"I'm not really too worried about that Joly," she said pulling an apple out of her bag, "an apple away keeps the doctor away."

"I highly doubt that will do any good Ep'."

"Well I haven't gotten sick yet so I think they are working."

"What's working?" asked Enjolras as he returned to the table.

"Eponine's apples" commented Courfeyrac.

Enjolras glanced over at Eponine to which she winked and his face turned red and he was retendered speechless, causing everyone at the entire table to burst out laughing.

At this point Grantaire had returned as well. "Are we all laughing at Enjolras? What happened and more importantly why wasn't I a part of it?"

"Oh its nothing," said Combeferre, gasping between laughs and wiping a tear from his eyes, "Enjolras just makes an easy target."

"Please tell me you guys didn't mean what I thought you did." He muttered softly under his breath.

"Don't worry Enjy," Eponine reassured, placing a hand on his shoulder after finally composing herself, "It wasn't what you thought; we kept it all PG."

Enjolras just took a deep breath before sitting down next to Combeferre and across from Eponine. A moment later Marius came back and sat next to Eponine, the apple was still in her hand.

"Your apple looks yummy Eponine."

She did her best to hold back laughter but after looking at the others she couldn't hold it any longer and bursted out in laughter.

"Did I miss something?"

"No Marius, you didn't miss anything."

The rest of lunch went on as normally after the laughter died down. Eponine rolled her apple in her hand before taking a bit of it, she chewed is slowly, trying her best to savor her lunch. Marius gave her a questionable look before nudging her arm with his. She looked up from the table and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Is that all you have for lunch?"

Eponine bit her lip before nodding looking a bit ashamed, her lack of food was a main reason she hardy ever ate with them. Marius gave her a warm smile and then handed her his French fries.

"You were going to steal them anyway."

She chuckled a bit and took the fries, "Thank you." She whispered, "Though they aren't as satisfying as they were when I stole them."

Marius laughed before turning back to his friends and lunch continued fairly normal (though it ended with Eponine throwing one of her fries at Grantaire's head after he made a crude remark). The bell rang soon after and Eponine snatched her backpack up and bid them all goodbye, before running off with Marius off to gym.

She was happy to have the friends she did.

* * *

_**A/N; Yea i know cheesy ending but i didnt know how else to end it  
Anyone else SUPER excited for the Les Miserables movie ( i know i am, and my friends keep making fun of me for it, something about me having an obsession...)**_

_**Only "One Day More"!**_

_**Please Review! Thats all i ask of you (yea i know wrong musical)**_


	3. Phantom Faces

_**I hope this chapter is ok. Please review!**_

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Erik scurried through the halls, trying his best not to run into or communicate with anyone. He was very anti-social, and with good reason, he always sat in the back of the room during class and never talked; his teachers dealt with it due to his amazing grades and class work and over time they got used to it. He did all he could to avoid seeing anyone, or have anyone see him. He had forged notes from the nurse saying that he could leave class two minutes early and arrive two minutes late and excusing him from gym, begged administration to give the farthest one in the corner, it was only a few feet from a side door and he could leave school quickly and never talked to anyone, ever. But no matter what Erik always hated the end of the day, the time when everyone was out and about lingering in the halls and blocking his way to his locker; the amount of students at the end of the day it made it more difficult to avoid people, but he was very swift and sneaky, if he planned everything out just right then he would be in and out in no time and all.

Today wasn't his day.

Erik had just packed his bag and was about to go out the door when his two least favorite people, Andre and Freddy, decided to pay him a visit, they had also brought along a few of their friends, three to be exact.

_Great just what I need, a crowd._

"Well if it isn't the Phantom of West End." Sneered the later

"Oh come now Freddy, you know there are no such things as phantoms."

"I am really not in the mood for this." Erik muttered low and tense, his face facing away from the crowd.

"Oh Erik you should know that we really don't care." Freddy said as he crept up to him, "Come on now Erik, why don't you look at us."

"I don't want to."

"And as I have said before, what _you _want doesn't really matter to me."

Erik stayed silent and didn't move an inch; he didn't want to give them any encouragement. Andre and Freddy were what you could call the school's street vendors. They were always looking for a way to make money, and the more the better, morals and value weren't really in their vocabulary as Freddy saw it as a way to hinder income. Freddy was the head off their partnership, Andre tagged along but he often didn't agree with Freddy's methods of fast cash. Currently their latest way to fast cash was exploiting Erik, his face was oddly and that made the two con artists want to show it off, in exchange for $5 a pop. They had never seen his face straight on either, but rumors had accumulated after years of Erik's extreme anti-social tendencies.

Freddy moved closer to Erik, "Come on Erik, it will do you good to interact with people."

"Leave me alone." He said, taking a step toward the door in order to get away from them.

But Freddy would not listen. All at once he gripped onto Erik's shoulder and swung him hard so that he faced the small crowd. They all gasped as they saw Erik's scarred face, it looked as if me had been burned and then attacked by a wolverine, but it was only half of his face.

"He is so ugly!" shouted one

"It should be outlawed to be that ugly."

"See I told you all," said Andre, "He is no phantom, just a freak!"

Erik stood there looking completely stone cold, his eyes narrowed in hatred for the people who stared and laughed at him. While he looked strong and frightening he felt completely helpless, a person or two he could handle on his own but a group of people left him defenseless. There was no point in putting up a fight, it was one against 5, and no one was there to help him; he had to face the ridicule on his own just like he had been ever since he was a kid.

* * *

Èponine walked down the hall, multi-tasking by fixing her hat and digging through her backpack for her phone, it was a prepaid phone that she had gotten for herself without her parents knowing, while stuffing her journal down even deeper into it and avoiding collisions with walls and other people; she was ready beyond ready to leave school and unwind anywhere but home. She noticed the shoelace on her boot was untied and she stooped down to tie it up when all of a sudden she felt snatch up her hat from her head. Out of the corner of her eye saw the thief and took off after him.

"Grantaire give me back my hat!"

"Come and get it!"

Èponine sped up and chased him down the hall, she may not have been the fastest runner but she was nimble and had a lot of endurance. She finally caught up with him and grabbed onto the back of his shirt when he tossed the hat over to Courfeyrac who was just coming around the corner with Joly; he caught it out of instinct and was fairly surprised to see it in his hands. His eyes automatically went to Èponine who was gripped unto Grantaire and smirked as he played with the hat in his hands.

"I'm going to guess this is yours Èponine?"

She turned toward him and nodded, he tossed her hat over to her causing her to automatically let go of Grantaire and catch it.

She rolled up her hat and hit Grantaire upside the head with it before slamming it back on her head. "You doof!"

"Doof? What are you 10?" he commented as he massaged the back of his head.

"I am trying to clean my language."

"You limit swearing? That's like Joly not worrying about disease."

"Hey don't drag me into this!"

"Sorry Joly, and I don't swear that much." Eponine responded

"Sure you don't." muttered Joly

She lifted a finger to protest, "Grantaire is worse than me, and never have I once dropped the f-bomb.

They all glared at her.

"Ok, never have I twice dropped the f-bomb. But come on it was ONE time. I mean if you had been there…"

"We were there." Remarked Grantaire

"Let me re-phrase, if it had happened to you, I'm sure you would have dropped the f-bomb too."

Courfeyrac sarcastically looked off into the distance "That little kid will forever be traumatized."

"Shut up." She muttered, "It was his fault anyway…"

"Sure it was."

"Oh whatever!" She glanced over at the clock, "Well I better get going don't want to miss my ride."

She bid goodbye by saluting them off with two fingers and turned to go the other way. She was just about to turn down the hall for the exit when she heard the sound of laughter, but it something about that was off. In an instant Èponine spun on her heel and ran for the direction of the laughter, speeding past Marius on her way.

"Whoa 'Ponine, where's the fire?"

"Sorry, can't talk Marius." She called over her shoulder as she kept running. She knew the tone of that laughter, it was the type laced with venom and mockery, she had experienced it herself before, and quiet a lot at that, and she knew the feeling, the feeling that everyone hated you and you were worth nothing and it was even worse when people passed by but did nothing to help you, she wasn't going to let someone else feel the same way. Her hat started to come off but she slammed her hand down on her head to keep it from flying off as she kept running. Èponine finally found the source of the laugher; it was small group of boys, 4 or 5 at most, surrounding something, or more importantly someone. Èponine's eyes quickly landed on a boy in the middle of it all and without thinking she pushed through the group and pounced in front of him, her back facing him while she faced the small crowd.

Freddy frowned as he stepped toward her. "What exactly do you think you are doing?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"We are just having some fun."

"Mocking someone is what you call fun?" she glanced over at the boy from the corner of her eye

"Well…" he replied, suddenly at a loss for words.

It was then that Èponine noticed some green bills poking out of his pocket. "Money! You are exploiting him for money?!"

Both boys stepped back; they knew messing with the Thenardier girl was a horrible idea. She was tough and didn't take crap from anyone. She took a step toward Freddy and very swiftly in one moment snatched the money from his pocket and threw it at the people in front of her.

"Take all your freaking money back and you better not mess with him again." She sneered through her teeth her voice was low but intense.

One boy narrowed his eyes at her, "What are you going to do about it?"

She spat at him, "I'll beat the living shit out you."

"You little bitch!"

His eyes filled with anger but before he could to anything a few others stood by her and stared him down.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Warned Enjolras

"I suggest you all leave now." Stated Combeferre, no one dared disobey him.

With the crowd gone the two boys turned to face Eponine.

"What were you thinking Eponine?" asked Enjolras, obviously not seeing her reasoning.

"I swear ponine you really need to think before you act." Added Combeferre, "I doubt you would have stood a chance against that guy"

Eponine just sighed and rolled her eyes, "I'm sure I could have handled myself perfectly fine, I was only trying to help the boy they were ridiculing."

Enjolras raised an eyebrow, "Who?"

"The boy they were making fun of, that's why they were all here. Are you ok by the way?" She asked turning around to face him, only when she did she saw that he was no longer there.

* * *

_**A/N; What do you think? Good? Bad? So-so? I added in Erik because he has a role in the future...yea i know its a Les Miz story but i couldnt resist**_

_**Please review! Thats all i ask of you!**_


	4. What's become of me?

"Whoever came up this was a genius."  
"I have to agree." Cosette giggled lightly as she and Eponine walked down the busy street.

It was Saturday afternoon and they had stopped for frozen yogurt, courtesy of Cosette – Eponine tried to protest at first but Cosette persisted, and as stubborn as she was, she could not resist the frozen goodness that was fro-yo. Cosette had begun attending West End only a week or so ago but she and Eponine had been fast friends, maybe because in a way they needed each other. Cosette didn't know a single person coming in and Eponine liked having a girl for a friend, the first few times they had hung-out Eponine had this awkward feeling inside of her, it came from knowing that she had known Cosette before, in a time long ago.

It was years ago, Cosette had been Eponine's neighbor and her mother Fantine asked the Thenardiers to take care of Cosette while she worked, eventually she had to move due her having to find a job but she begged them to let Cosette live with them which they complied to, but while Fantine believed that Cosette was being taken care of well, in reality she was treated like dirt by the family. Eponine's parents had forced her to clean and act as a servant to them, she was given hand-me downs that were never the right size and she was always dirty, the Thenardier children in the meantime were spoiled to a t; they always got the best clothes and toys. At first Eponine and Azelma played with Cosette and shared somewhat but soon afterwards their mother scowled them and warned them not to play with her, she was dirty and unworthy, this then caused a lot of teasing on Eponine's part, at first she just did it to please her mother but given time she had enjoyed it too. At that point in her life things had been great, however things changed after Cosette's "father" came to rescue her; when Cosette left she took Eponine's luck with her. Within a year of Cosette's departure her family had gone broke, they lost everything and they never got anything back. Now Cosette was the one in the best clothes with the best things and Eponine was the one who was a servant in her own home and owned nothing that was her own. While the entire awkwardness of the events kept playing through Eponine's mind when she first started being friends with Cosette, the feelings quickly faded as she actually enjoyed having Cosette as a friend. The more she hung out with Cosette meant the less time she had to be home; her home, if you could call it that, was barley a home to her at all, her parents had turned into brutes over the years and they cared very little for their children, and their home was not always safe, especially when her father was in the mist of hatching a plan.

"I mean honestly think about it; frozen yogurt, its tastes better than ice cream yet it is a hell of a lot healthier." Eponine stated as she took another bite.

Cosette giggled again, "Well I doubt it is all that much healthier considering yours is drenched in syrup and covered in candy."

Eponine stopped walking and looked at Cosette awkwardly, not really knowing how to comeback. Cosette laughed which caused Eponine to roll her eyes and stuff another spoonful of yogurt in her mouth.

"Oh like you're always right."

"Well…"

"Either way it's still delicious." She stated, cutting her off.

"I'm going to have to agree with you there."

"Who wouldn't?"

"People without taste buds?"

Eponine laughed, when she wanted to Cosette could be one of the funniest people, even if she didn't know it.

The two girls kept walking, laughing at little things on the busy street and only stopping when they saw a few street performers sing and dance for a large crowd. As they watched Eponine felt her phone vibrate in her back pocket. It was a text from Marius.

_Hey 'Ponine what's up?_

She quickly responded; _Nm just hangin out w/ a friend_

_Who?_

_No one you would know, she just moved here_

_She?_

_Yea, did you think that you guys were the only friends I had_….Eponine paused for a moment, Marius was one of her only true friends, the reason she knew everyone else was because of him, he brought her into his group. Without him she would be attending school full of strangers. She was taken out of her trance by Cosette poking at her shoulder and then pointing at something the performers were doing. Eponine smiled warmly before turning back to her phone. _Anyway I g2g, ttfn…_she added before locking her phone and sliding back into her pocket. The girls watched the performers a bit more before continuing on.

It was silent for awhile before Cosette began talking, "So tell me about yourself."

"Huh?"

"Tell me a little something about you. Like your family, other friends, interest."

"Well, I...um…." Eponine was at a loss for words; her history wasn't really something she wanted to share with anyone, especially Cosette. She decided to go the safe route, "I'm the oldest of three, you've met Azelma but I also have a younger brother named Gavroche."

"How old is he?"

"10." She said flatly, pondering a moment before going on, "My best friend is Marius Pontmercy he is a junior like us."

"Was he the one you were texting earlier?"

"Oh you saw me doing that." Cosette nodded, making Eponine blush a bit, "Yea that was him, we have been friends since freshman year. He is pretty nice and fun, I'll have to introduce you to him sometime."

"I'd like that."

"Yeah, so tell me a bit about yourself. Do you have a cool history?" Eponine blurted before thinking. _Idiot! _She quickly scowled herself, _I know she does._

"Well, my childhood is kind of fuzzy but for as long as I can remember I've lived with my papa, I don't really remember my mom." She frowned a little and Eponine looked down in sympathy.

"I'm sorry."

Cosette shrugged, "It's ok. I'm an only child so my papa spoils me rotten, though I do wish I had a sister to hang out and share stuff with or a brother to tease."

"Trust me it's not all it's cracked up to be."

They both cracked up and started laughing.

"I can see where you are coming from. Anyway," she continued, "it's nice going to a public school, before now I went to an all girl's catholic school."

"That must have been rough."

Cosette shrugged, "It's defiantly different now, but different is good sometimes, change is good sometimes."

"You're absolutely right." Eponine said sincerely, change was a good thing, though only sometimes.

* * *

Eponine neared her house, if you could call a rundown single floor shack-like building a house, but as she got closer she got the feeling that something was off. She approached it more apprehensively, more and more cautious with each step. As she entered she could hear parents fight in the kitchen.

"It's your fault we are stuck here!" she heard her mom belt, "You and your stupid friends."

"Hey those friends are the reason we have the money to afford this place…..even if it is a dump." He slurred, he sounded very drunk.

"Money that we end up losing due to your uncontrollable drinking and gambling!"

She couldn't take much more, Eponine ran as quickly and quietly as she could to the room she shared with Azelma; when she entered she saw that both she and Gavroche were cuddled on her bed trying their hardest not to listen to the ongoing screeches coming from her parents. The Thenardier children were all strong by nature but when hard time hit it was Eponine that had to grow up, she was only Gavroche's age when they lost all their money. Her siblings were a lot stronger than most kids their age but they still relied heavily on Eponine and used her as their rock.

"Hey it's going to be alright." She began, trying to sound reassuring, "Just stay in here until this all blows over and they both calm down. Just like every other time." It was true, as long as they stayed out their parents way when they were angry, or when her dad had his 'friends' over, then the kids were usually forgotten about and safe for the time being.

This time Eponine wasn't so lucky.

After about an hour the fighting had gone down and they all heard the front door slam and the car drive off. Eponine signaled to her siblings to stay in the room, she always checked before she allowed her to come out. She quietly crept around the corner; the living room was dark except for a single lamp that was lit in the corner. She didn't see anything, not even the slumped figure in the nearby chair.

"Well if it isn't little 'Ponine, haven't seen you all day." Her father sneered, as he got up and took a few steps toward her. Eponine stepped back, his walk was wobbly but he was still frightening nonetheless. "What are you scared of your own father?"

"No." she stated flatly

He ignored her answer, "What else can I expect from such an ungrateful brat as you! All me and your mother do is provide for you and how do you repay us? By disappearing and running off."

"I'm right here dad, I didn't run off."

"You're only back because you have nowhere else to go!"

"That's not-"

She was cut off by her father slapping her across the cheek so hard that she fell back. "Don't raise your voice to me! I know you Eponine, don't you forget that, I know how your mind works. You try to leave but realize you can't make it on your own. You expect to come back here and greeted with open arms; well that won't work this time Eponine!"

"You don't know anything." She snarled as she looked up at him from her spot on the ground, venom laced in her voice.

Thenardier responded by spitting on her and kicking her hard in the gut. "Show me some respect I am your father and you are nothing but a useless brat 'Ponine! Don't you ever forget that, you will never be worth anything in anyone's eyes."

Eponine remained silent and kept her gaze on the floor, anything else would result in her father hurting her again. After a few moments Thenardier got tired of glaring at her and stumbled out the door. Leaving Eponine curled up on the ground, her arms caressing her bruised stomach.

"You better learn to hold your tongue and learn your place."

He slammed the door behind him, the sound echoing through the entire house. She stayed lying there for a while, while she knew he was drunk but either what he said hurt, she really was nothing. Her gaze focused in on a mirror across from her and she realized how pathetic she looked curled up on the ground with her old worn out clothes and tangled hair. She imagined Cosette now asleep in a nice warm bed with a loving father while she was lying on the cold ground due to her horrible one.

She lifted herself from the ground and sat up against the wall, pulling her knees to her chest and forcing herself not to shed tears, they would do her no good.

_How times have changed…..what's become of me._


	5. Nothing Changes

It was Monday afternoon and Eponine walked slowly through the halls, trying her best to avoid colliding with everyone. Thanks to her dad she now had a nice big dark purple bruise on her stomach and it was still tender. She did her best to put on a happy face but the bruise had been right in the dead center of her abdomen and it hurt a bit every time she took a step.

After her father had left and she was sure the coast was clear she stopped wallowing in self pity and went back to her room to see how her siblings were doing. They were both curled up on her bed, a look of intense fear and anger in their eyes; Eponine tried to smile so as to hide from them but they were smart kids.

"What he do to you this time?" asked Gavroche in a grim voice, not at all like a ten year-old's should be.

She shrugged, trying her best to seem normal, "Not much, he just insulted me a bit then slapped me when I wouldn't hold my tongue."

"That was all?" inquired her sister

"Well he slapped me so hard I fell back; he then saw the need to kick me while I was down."

"Oh 'Ponine!" exclaimed the young brunette girl as her hand found its way to her mouth.

"It's not that bad, I've been through worse."

"How can you say that? How can you just cast this off as something normal?"

"What else can I do 'Zelma?" her voice now sounding irritated with a slight edge, "Cry and complain about this? Wallow in self-pity? Well that won't do me any good! It's the same old story, what's the use in tears? Admitting to myself that this is my normal just helps me get through alright, better than hoping for a change and then being disappointed when NOTHING changes, because guess what nothing EVER will!" Her voice echoed through the room and for several moments no one said anything. Azelma and Gavroche looked at her with wide eyes- sadness, fear and shocked mixed in them. Eponine bit her lip and closed her eyes as she sighed and her expression softened. "I'm sorry guys; I shouldn't have flipped out on you like that."

Gavroche found his way to her lap and snuggled into her, "No its ok, if anything I'm surprised it took you this long." Eponine chuckled softly at his comment.

Azelma looked at her in slight shame, "I'm sorry Eponine, we have no right to question you, you're the one who protect us and puts up with this to do so."

"It's alright." She said softly, "I'm just happy as long as you guys are ok."

The three Thenardier children just laid their on Eponine's bed, Eponine on one side with her back pressed against the head board and Gavroche curled up on her lap while Azelma laid down next her. The moon streaked into the room and illuminated the faces of the younger children. Within no time they were fast asleep while Eponine stayed awake thinking about everything, sleep not wanting to take over, she liked the night though. Nighttime usually provided Eponine with time for herself and her thoughts, the day was usually so busy and loud that she could never concentrate and things were always distracted her, night was the time that everybody else was sleeping, she could find her moment of peace and that made the day bearable. Carefully she slid her arms off of Gavroche and reached over to her bag that was on the floor next to her and took out her journal and a pen, glancing up at the moon for light she swiftly wrote away in her journal and let her thoughts spill.

When her father returned later that night Eponine was still writing away, she paused for a moment as soon as he came in through the front door and froze, wanting to know what he had been up to, or if he felt anything for what he did. As usual he didn't, he simply staggered in through the door and kicked off his shoes before stumbling off to his room, not even bothering to check any of their rooms to see if they were ok. After awhile Eponine got tired of writing and soon fell asleep to the sounds of her siblings' soft breathing. In the morning her father had barley acknowledged her and she was honestly fine with that, she liked it better than him being mad and hurting her even more, the feeling stayed the same for the rest of the morning and then her father disappeared from the afternoon on and Eponine went on with her day, neither discussing what happened, though it hurt Eponine to move around.

That was Sunday and now it was Monday and while she could lie down and sit around her home the day before, she was now forced to move around the building to get to all her classes for school. It didn't help that as soon as Grantaire saw her he decided to tease her and poke her stomach, unintentionally hitting the exact stop her bruise was, further deepening it; while it was painful and she winced slightly she kept a smile on and stayed to her snarky self.

"Why must do have the constant need to poke me?"

"Because I find it entertaining." He replied very matter-a-factly. He poked her again when she was off guard causing her to bite down on her lip to keep from wincing. She rolled her eyes and slapped Grantaire's shoulder to act normal and ignore the pain hoping no one would see the pain in her eyes; however her wincing and lip biting didn't go unnoticed by everyone.

* * *

That day at lunch she didn't sit with Les Amis, she didn't want them to sense something was wrong and start questioning her about it, 10 minutes with them provided no challenge to act normal but 45 she felt was nearly impossible, so instead she took her lunch –which was just a peanut butter sandwich and an apple- and went to the auditorium. She liked it in there because it was always empty due to it being away in its own little section of the school and the stage was open and the piano just sat there in the middle of it all; it was a very quiet spot which is just how she liked it, it was quiet secluded and a nice place to think. No one knew she went there, to everyone at lunch she had just disappeared from their sights, they had tried to find her before; they had checked the library, locker bank, bleachers, courtyard and even the pool but it never occurred to anyone to check in the auditorium.

When the bell rang for the next class Eponine groaned a bit, her next class was gym. It was the very last thing she needed. She grumbled a bit as she sneaked out of the auditorium and made her way to the gymnasium, dreading every minute of it. She liked gym she did but the thought of it now with her abs just made her cringe. However as she got closer and closer her spirit lightened up and a smile found a home on her face; gym might have meant a bit of pain but it also meant Marius. Out of all her friends she was closest to him, they had found each other freshman year and she was thankful to have him as a bud. No matter how she was feeling he always seemed to lighten up her day. As soon as she got to the locker room she quickly changed and jogged out to meet us with Marius in the gym.

As soon as she saw him her stomach filled up with butterflies and she smiled, while she and Marius had known each other for two years and told each other practically everything there was one thing she hadn't told him, she had a slight crush on him...No make that a big one: she was practically in love with him. She wasn't sure when it started, all she knew was that after a few months her heart fluttered every time she was near him, thought being who she was she was very good at hiding it and playing cool, being around a bunch of other guys all the time didn't hurt either. It had been two years and nothing had really changed, nothing ever did, they were still friends and nothing more. The second she walked into the gym she say him sitting there on some bleachers waiting for her, when she was closer to him she saw her and smiled as he got up.

"Hey 'Ponine I haven't seen you much today? Where have you been?"

She bit her lip nervously, "Oh just around." She shrugged before tilting her head and looking at Marius, "I like the way you style your hair." She stated as she ruffled it.

He snorted and fluffed his hair back to normal, "I like the way you always tease."

Before another word could be said the gym teacher blew his whistle and called everyone in. As soon as everyone was gathered up they learned that they would be playing the most stereotypic high school game ever, dodge ball. The class groaned and Eponine winced at bit, her stomach feeling the pain a nice red rubber ball would do to her already bruised skin. They were split up into teams, luckily Marius and Eponine were on the same one, and quickly started the game. Eponine was not the most athletic but she was very quick and nimble, as well as light on her feet, dodging all the balls was a real breeze for her. The same couldn't be said for Marius, he was pretty good at avoiding the balls and even caught some and got other people out, but as the numbers on their team got lower and lower he was made a target more and more often, soon it was only him, Eponine and a handful of others on his team. Suddenly a ball was coming his way to which he instinctively ducked out of the way, but he also turned slightly so his side was to the other team, due to that he didn't see one of the players pick up a ball and prepare to chuck it at him. Not knowing what to do Eponine ran toward him and tried to push him out of the way, only to result in the ball making impact with her lower torso. She impact was so great she fell over on her side and skidded for a bit. For a moment she didn't move, the pain in her stomach was enormous and the wind was knocked out of her. Coach blew the whistle and paused the game, a crowd soon surrounded Eponine.

Marius ran toward her and pushed through the crowd, "Eponine, are you alright?"

She slowly sat up and wrapped her arms around her abdomen, nodding slightly, "Yea I'm alright."

"Eponine you're hurt, you need some help." He stated as he helped her stand up.

"Don't fret Marius," she gritted through her teeth as she rose up to her feet, "I don't feel any pain."

"Don't try to be a hero 'Ponine."

"I'm not! I'm honestly just fine."

Just then the guy who chucked the ball at Eponine bursted in, "I am so sorry, I didn't mean for it to hurt that much."

"Its fine." She replied, "These things do happen, no harm no foul."

With that Marius slowly walked her over to the bleachers, his hand on her elbows due to her arms still being wrapped tightly around her stomach. Coach excused her from the rest of the game but she still had to sit there and watch. As she sat there looking on at the rest of the class one thought came into her mind,

_I now have an excuse to my bruised stomach._ She laughed as that thought entered her mind, then she frowned as she realized what it meant, nothing would ever change. Her secrets would remain secrets whether she liked it or not

* * *

_**Review?**_


	6. Little He Sees

The sun was just beginning to rise and its streaks slipped into the ABC Café, illuminating the large room. It was still early morning and most schools did not begin for another hour or so but even so the room of the café was lively as it was occupied by several boys from West End High, which only happened to be about two blocks away. The boys often met there both before and after school; it was a small family owned café and it was usually pretty quiet and secluded, it provided for a good hangout for all of them.

Enjolras was sitting at a table studying when a few others decided to join him.

"Morning Enjolras." Said Courfeyrac as he slid into the seat across from him

Enjolras responded by simply nodding his head quickly before turning back to his schoolwork.

Grantaire laughed as he saw the exchange and neared the table, sitting down next to them with an extra large coffee in his hand, "Honestly Enjy, must you always be so caught up in school work. School hasn't even started yet."

Enjolras just rolled his eyes, "Please don't call me 'Enjy' and it just so happens we have a big test in history and for one want to do well." He spoke with an edge to his voice

"Society's definition of well or yours?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Enjolras you are probably going to do well on this test either way," began Courfeyrac

"But to you it's only well if you score 100%"

"Well excuse me for trying to strive!" he practically shouted. He was stressed out enough as it was for the exam, he didn't need this constant distraction as well.

The two others stayed silent, looking at each other in confusion, Enjolras was known to be cold and a bit serious but usual no mad. Combeferre looked over from his table a few feet away and narrowed his eyes slightly at the group.

"Out of curiosity, how much sleep did you get last night?"

Enjolras sighed as he put a hand to his face and rubbed his forehead a bit, pondering over the question. "About three hours."

"Dude you can't keep doing that to yourself, its senior year, the year you are supposed to have fun." Remarked Grantaire as he took a sip of coffee.

"For your information, I had to stay after school till 6pm yesterday for football thanks to the big game we have against Broadway Friday, and when I did get home I had practice for speech, seeing as we have our first meet next week, plus I had work on the freaking English project because _someone_ left me on my own for it, and not to mention that I really need to ace this history test!"

"Oh poor Enjolras," muttered Courfeyrac, "tell me, could possibly be any more of an epitome?"

He just rolled his eyes, "Anyway all that added up means I got no time for sleep!" he glared over at Grantaire, "Or fun" he sneered.

"Or girls for that matter." Called a voice; everyone turned to see an amused Eponine standing at the doorway with a smile trying to find a way on her face against her protest. Her dark hair was in a lose braid off that hung on her shoulder with several random strands escaping and sticking out, her ripped jeans were tucked into her combat boots and she also had a wrinkled brown v-neck on that matched the fingerless gloves on her hands and her usual hat. All in all she looked a lot less well kempt than all the rest of the guys in the café but beggars couldn't be choosers, she was one of the only girls that frequented their meeting. They had all been so busy listening to Enjolras they didn't even notice her come in. "You know Enjy your problems might be solved if you, oh I don't know, took on less."

"Please don't call me Enjy." He groaned

"But it's fun." She said in a sing-song voice

"And I suppose you think you need everything to be fun, I swear you are almost as bad as Grantaire."

"Hey!"

"Don't go insulting me now!" She gasped before she pouted her lip to the side as if in though as she dropped into a seat at the table and shrugged off her messenger bag, "And no, not everything has to be fun, but the world is a lot more bearable if you have a little fun every once in a while. It would do you good to remember that."

"I'll remember that once I the time." He said sarcastically

"Oh yes, I forget that you've got a full plate."

"That's an understatement," Commented Grantaire "it's more like he's got a full thanksgiving value plate."

Eponine rolled her eyes at him before looking back at Enjolras who looked less than amused, "Fine don't take my advice just don't blame me when you are gray-haired and miserable."

"I highly doubt I will remember this conversation in 60 years."

"Who's talking about 60 years, I was thinking you would be like that more along the lines of your graduation. I mean I think see several grey hairs now." She said as she reached over and ran a finger over his head.

Enjolras slapped a hand on his head and narrowed his eyes at her, "You're cruel."

"But you love me." She giggled lightheartedly.

"At least you're not as bad as Laigle." Commented Combeferre

"Oh Bossuet, I doubt anyone is as bad as him." Added Feuilly who had been listening in on it all, "I swear that boy will be completely bald by the time he is twenty-five."

"Have to agree with you there." Stated Eponine, her eyes then wandered around the café, "Has anyone seen Marius?"

"No not yet." Remarked Courfeyrac, "But I think he will be here soon, he isn't one to miss meetings."

"Like anything important actually happens." She commented sarcastically

"Just watch 'Ponine, someday something big will be planned and take place right here on these table tops."

"Sure they will." She said with an eye roll, "One day you will start a big revolution for all the oppressed and become legendary heroes."

"Who knows, we just might."

Eponine rolled her eyes again and shook her head before reaching down for her bag and digging through it for her journal and a pen, she liked to write whenever inspiration hit her or she just had time and that tended to happen at the most random times. As she stared down at her paper and wrote away, fatigue became to set into her small body. Much like Enjolras, she hadn't gotten much sleep the night before either and after a few minutes she began to nod off.

"Whoa Eponine wake up!" she heard a voice call as a hand shook her shoulder gently; she turned her head slightly to see it was Combeferre.

"Oh sorry," she yawned, "I guess I'm just a little tired."

"I'm guessing you didn't get much sleep either."

She shook her head, "Nope."

Enjolras smirked a bit, "So what exactly kept you up?"

Eponine responded with an annoyed glare, "Well unlike you I didn't have a bunch of college entry activities to keep me busy. I for one got home, picked up the house, made dinner, did laundry and cleaned the bathrooms, did my homework, helped Gavroche with his….and then looked online for jobs for a few hours."

A laugh escaped Grantaire's throat, "Damn Eppy, I'm surprised you didn't do the dishes."

"I had Azelma do them." She shrugged causing the others to laugh.

Enjolras' eyes looked away in shame for a second, he forgot that Eponine wasn't as fortunate as the rest of them; she was the one in charge of her household and the one responsible for everyone else, always putting herself last.

_There is no one else to take that job but her_, he thought; _wait a second…"job"! Didn't she say she was looking for a job?_

"Hey Eponine," he called causing her to lift her head up look at him; "didn't you say you were looking for a job?"

"Yes…" she responded nervously.

"I think the café is hiring. I remember Mr. Myriel saying that they needed some more help. He may be interesting in giving you a job."

Her dark brown eyes widened to the size of saucers, "Do you really think that Mr. Myriel would do that?"

Just then the very man himself stepped into the room, "What would I do?"

Eponine went silent and her eyes grew wide. Enjolras let a small laugh escape from his nose before he put his arm around Eponine's shoulders and grinned, "Give our friend Eponine here a job here at the café."

The old man chuckled and a wide smile spread across his face, "Are you a hard worker Eponine?"

"V-very" she nodded.

"Do you take orders well?"

"Yes sir very well, I also live really close and my schedule is very open."

He smiled warmly, "Well then, I think I may have just found the ABC Café's newest employee."

"Really?!" she gasped, unable to believe her luck, "Oh thank you Mr. Myriel, you don't know how much this means for me."

"Well it appears we were in need of each other Ms. Eponine, I'm getting old and I need a lot of help around here. That involves things like opening up or closing up, dishes, some cleaning and moving boxes around. Would you be willing to take that responsibility?"

She nodded, "Absolutely!"

"Great, you start first thing after school tomorrow."

"Thank you."

"Not a problem." He said and with that he wiped his hands on a towel and stepped back into the back room.

Eponine turned to Enjolras. "Oh thank you Enjy!" she blurted as she threw her arms around him, "I can't thank you enough, I really needed a job! How can I ever repay you?"

"You can start by stop calling me Enjy."

She chuckled as she loosened her embrace and looked up at him, "You got it Enjolras."

They stayed there looking at each other for a minute and he was about to say something when Eponine's phone dinged and she reached over to grab it.

_Marius; Hey 'Ponine, can't make it 2 the café this morning. Want 2 meet by our lockers?_

Eponine rolled her eyes and responded. _Sure b over in a few_

She tucked her phone into her pocket stood up as she swung her bag onto her shoulder, "Love to stay and chat but I've got to go meet Marius. Catch you all later."

"Bye Eponine." They all called as she walked out the door and ran to the school. No one noticed, but someone in the café was more than a little pissed at her eagerness to leave them all in exchange for Marius, so blindly unaware that while he touched her life, she touched his.

* * *

"He gave you a job? 'Ponine that's amazing!" Marius exclaimed as he took her hand and spun her around

She smiled broadly, "I know right? I can hardly believe it, and it's at the café! That means I'll still be able to see all of you all the time."

"And make money doing it." He teased

"That's the best part." She grinned as she reached down into her bag. Suddenly her face dropped as she realized something was missing from her bag. "Shit I left my assignment in my locker."

"Which one?" he asked, they were right in front of their first period classrooms.

"My English paper, damn it I need to turn it in today or I will get an F. I've got to back and get it." She mumbled irritated as she spun on her heel.

"Want me to go with you?"

"Nah, I'll be fine, you go on ahead. 'Ponine knows her way around." With that she sped off for her locker.

She finally reached it and quickly put in her combination. As soon as her locker was open her eyes scanned over her shelves until they finally rested on her English folder. She snatched it up and was very relieved to see that her paper was in mint condition before snapping it closed and stuffing it into her bag. She was just about run off to class when she noticed someone was blocking her path.

"Hi there 'Ponine." He sneered.

"Montparnasse." She responded flatly.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"Class, that's kind of a given considering we are in school."

"Oh you're a feisty one aren't ya? Tell me Eponine, why don't we run into each other more often?"

She turned her head and looked off to a wall for a moment, looking as if she was actually pondering over his question, "Because I try to avoid you?"

"Why, do I make you nervous? Do I give you butterflies and make you blush?" He mocked

"No." she shrugged, "I simply don't like you."

"Why you little…"

"Hi Mr. Javert!" Eponine called

Montparnasse froze for a minute and looked over his shoulder nervously to see if the principal was really there which he wasn't, Eponine took this opportunity to escape from Montparnasse and make a run for it. By the time he turned back she had already sprinted in the other direction and was out of sight.

Eponine kept running, wanting to avoid Montparnasse at all cost. She used to be friends with him when they were younger but over time he had changed and Eponine couldn't stand the person she had become. After she met Marius and befriended all the rest of the guys she cut off all ties with him and barley ever said more than two words to him.

She kept her head down as she ran and was so immersed in her thoughts she didn't see the person in front of her until she collided head on with him, sending his stuff everywhere and knocking her down and causing all the contents of her messenger bag to fill. She quickly got to her knees and began gathering her and the others things, with a little help from him.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there."

"It's quite alright."

Eponine froze for a moment as she recognized the voice. She brushed some hair out of her face and looked up to see none other than Enjolras knelt down across from her picking up her things. When they finished gathering everything he extended a hand to help her to her feet before handing her books to her.

"Thank you." She nodded

"Not a problem."

She tucked some things into her bag and was about to walk off when she realized that she left something on the floor, it was her journal. She bent down to pick it up but Enjolras beat her to it and snatched it up before she had a chance.

"Hey give me that!" she yelped as she reached over to grab it.

He smirked and turned so that she was reaching across his shoulder and lifted up the book above her head. "Why what's in it?"

"N-n-nothing." She responded, automatically drawing back her arm.

"Then why are you so protective of it?"

She put her hands on her hips, "Because its mine!"

The warning bell rang which caught Enjolras' attention for a split second, just enough time for Eponine to snatch her journal back and run off.

"Sorry I've got to get to class." She called over her shoulder as she sped off.

Enjolras chuckled as he watched her run away from him for the second time that morning.

* * *

_**A/N; I'll give a cookie to whoever can tell me which character Mr. Myriel is -In other words who in the musical/novel i took the identity from (ex; Freddy back in chapter three was my version of Firmin from Phantom of the Opera)**_


	7. Red and Black

It was nearing November but the weather outside was still nice, the sun shone brightly and the leaves were all changing from green to orange, yellow and red, a slight breeze blew making all of the leaves dance in the wind. Marius, Grantaire, and Enjolras were all walking down the street when a little boy in ripped jeans and a white t-shirt ran up to them.

"Hey there Gavroche." Greeted Grantaire

"Hiya." Chirped the little boy

"What are you doing out and about so early?" It was only wasn't even 7am and the elementary school didn't start for another two hours.

"I just thought a walk would be me some good. I woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep, plus I really didn't want to be home with well, you know, everything."

Grantaire sighed, "I understand little buddy. Just remember that if you ever need anywhere to go, my door is always open."

"As is mine." Added Enjolras

Marius nodded, "And mine."

"That's awful nice of you guys; I may take you up on that offer one day." He grinned.

The next sound they all heard was the sound of his small stomach growling. He stepped back as he caressed his stomach and his cheeks turned light pink. Grantaire laughed as he dug into his pocket.

"Here," he said handing the boy a $5 bill, "go buy yourself some breakfast."

His eyes widened as he held the money but he shrank back and extended his hand to give it back, "No I really shouldn't."

The dark haired man ruffled the boy's hair, "I insist; you need it more than us anyway."

"Oh thank you!" he exclaimed before running off in another direction.

"He is such a spunky boy; he's got a lot of spirit." Noted Marius

"Yes," agreed Enjolras, "I just wish there was more we could do for him."

The boys had all been acquainted with Gavroche for a little over a year. They met him one day when he was sitting on the steps of the café all along, it was late at night but he didn't look scared or sad, instead he was staring up at the café with wonder in his eyes. They boys invited him in and bought him a warm dinner, soon afterward he would frequent the café and everyone became somewhat aware of his story. Gavroche came from a poorer family, he mentioned he had sisters but never really went into detail other than saying that his oldest sister was the only person he thought was wittier than him, and his parents neglected him quite a bit when they weren't yelling at him or his sisters, often causing the boy to go off on his own out of hatred for his home. However as soon as he came to the café he was happy and it was almost like he didn't have to worry about anything, besides all that he was always cheerful and full of life, just like any 10 year old would be. Over a short amount of time the boys all grew to love Gavroche and looked after him like a little brother.

Grantaire shrugged, "I'm sure he will be fine, he know he can count on us. Plus he may look small, but he can probably survive better on the street than any of us can."

"Yes your right," agreed Marius. He glanced down at his watch, "We better hurry if we want to meet with the others at the café."

* * *

Eponine ran a hand across her forehead to wipe the sweat off her face as she carried the last bag of coffee beans into the kitchen. She looked lanky but appearances were very deceiving. She glanced back out the back door to make sure that she brought in every bag from the early morning shipping and let out a sigh of relief as soon as she was sure she had got them all.

"Sir I got all the bags." She called to Mr. Myriel who was in the other room wiping down tables.

"Thank you Eponine," he replied, "you can take a cup of coffee with you if you want. No charge."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course; what we have, we have to share."

"Ok then, thanks Mr. Myriel." She responded as she slipped off her apron and hung it on the hook by the door.

Working at the ABC café had proved to be a lot better than Eponine had expected. Yes she had to do some of the heavy lifting and due to her living so close she would often be the one asked to come in the earliest and then come back and leave the latest, but Mr. Myriel treated and paid her well and she still got to see all of her friends all the time, though they would often tease her and take the customer persona to the extreme every time she took their order. Ironically enough though Eponine did not like coffee, it was much too bitter for her taste, but she liked the smell and it wasn't as if she _had_ to drink it.

She just stepped out of the back room of the café when she saw the door open and three guys step inside the café.

"Morning." She acknowledged as she swung her bag on her shoulder.

"Hey," greeted Marius as he stepped closer, "What are you doing here so early?"

"I work here." She responded sarcastically as she rolled her eyes and handed Grantaire her coffee since she wasn't going to drink it and he was addicted to caffeine, he gave her a small nod in thanks.

"You know what I mean. You have only been working here for two days, why did he recruit you to come in this early?"

She rolled her eyes slightly, "Well if you must know we just got a shipment of coffee beans and Mr. Myriel couldn't carry them all in himself, being that I lived the closest I offered my assistance."

Grantaire took a sip and raised an eyebrow, "Wait you carried in all the boxes? Put you're so small."

She placed her hands on her hips and gasped, "For your information I did carry them in all on my own. I'll have you know that I am a lot strong than I appear to be; don't judge a girl on how she looks."

"We know Eppy, we know." He sighed, "Don't go off on one of your rants again."

"Well I wouldn't have to if you didn't keep provoking me."

"You would rant either way; I swear you can be more head-strong than Enjolras at times."

She snorted, "Oh please, I doubt anyone could be."

"I'm right here you know!"

"Yeah I know, doesn't change the fact that she is."

"But I'm not!"

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not!"

"You see you are stubborn too."

She cocked an eyebrow and crossed her hands over her chest, "Is that supposed to be a bad thing?"

"No, just unusual in a lady"

"Did you seriously just call me a lady?"

"Is that a bad thing?" he said, mimicking Eponine's body language.

Marius and Eponine bursted out in laughter at Grantaire's feministic body language while Enjolras simply shook his head at their friend

"Come on," muttered Enjolras, "We'll be late for school."

"What are you talking about?" Asked Eponine, "We still have over half an hour…oh that's right I forget you've all got a student government this morning."

He sighed, "Yes and we can't afford to be late."

"Why not just have the meetings here?" she muttered under her breath.

"What are you getting at?"

"Well most of you come here before school anyway, and it's a lot less cramped than that stuffy room at school."

"You've been to the meetings?"

"I've tagged along with Marius once or twice. She shrugged, "You do very well at giving speeches, by the way."

"Why thank-"

She cut him off, "Plus I'm sure they would all appreciate the opportunity to eat something more filling in the morning and I am sure Mr. Myriel wouldn't mind seeing as having all the people here would mean more business."

Marius titled his head toward her, "'Ponine you may be on to something."

She smiled and nodded quickly "I know a lot of things I do."

"Yes, things not found in books." Mumbled Grantaire

"Are you implying something?" she sneered; Grantaire avoided eye contact and shrank away.

It was at that moment that Enjolras jumped from his seat. "Eponine you are a genius!"

"I try."

Enjolras grinned and then looked at his watch again, "Well come on guys, if we don't go now we will be late."

"And lord knows the president being late is a crime against nature." Grantaire said as he took another chug at his coffee.

"It doesn't look good no, but if we hurry we might just have enough time to propose moving the meeting spot to here." He said as he walked out the door with Grantaire at his heel.

Marius faced Eponine, "Would you like join us 'Ponine?"

"Sure." She said coolly, though inside she was giddy. She loved it whenever Marius invited her to meetings, she could pop in at anytime, and she did often, and be welcomed by everyone but there was something about Marius specifically inviting _her_ that made her happy. She followed him out and he held the door for her, never seeing the spark in her eyes.

_Little he sees, little he knows._

* * *

**_A/N; _****_Hope you liked this, and if it isnt too much to ask PLEASE oh pretty please review. _**


	8. How can it be?

**A/N; Thank you to those who reviewed this story so far. I like knowing what other fandoms think :D  
**

**Hope you enjoy the chapter :D**

* * *

"And further more we hope to see you all cheer us on tonight at the big game against Broadway; Go Rebels!"

Eponine tapped her pencil against her journal absentmindedly as the morning announcements placed over the intercom. The news wasn't anything new, and quite honestly she was tired from the week she had. Her mind started to wander off again as she looked out the window and saw the leaves dancing in the air and heard the wind call to her. She liked imagining things, the world in her head was so much more interesting than the world around her; she was only brought back to the classroom by the sound of the bell ringing loudly through the room. In a hurry she stuffed her things into her bag and practically sprinted out of the room.

While Eponine seemed apathetic to current events, the rest of the school wasn't. It was Friday and this particular Friday was the date of the big football game against the Broadway High Phantoms. The two schools were always at ends- it was a love-hate relationship- when one had a big achievement the other came running in with another, and many times students would transfer from one school to another. Fair to say they were the districts biggest rivals, and this game only heated up those feelings. It wasn't that Eponine didn't care about the game but she had already sat through Enjolras' rants and strategies for the past week and when it wasn't him, other teens at the café would be going on non-stop about it too. As she walked down the hall it was fairly easy to see how spirited the school was, red and black banners hung everywhere, posters were tacked onto every other wall, people were dressed to from head to toe in red and black spirit wear and everywhere she turned someone was cheering and hollering about the game.

_Oh gosh oh what a rumpus!_ She thought as she made her way down the hall trying to weave through people. _Rumpus Eponine? You really need to stop watching '80 movies before bed._

She finally made it to her English class only to have to take two steps before Cosette ran up to her looking all excited and giddy.

"Oh Eponine, can you believe that _tonight_ is the big game!? Isn't it exciting?!"

"Oh yea," she grumbled, "It's exhilarating."

"Are you going to go tonight? I hear it will be super intense."

"I dunno." She stated plainly as she sat down in her seat.

Cosette sat next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, practically shaking her, "Come on Eppie! You have to go."

Eponine raised an eyebrow to her, "One," she said raising a finger, "don't call me Eppie, two I never said no I just said 'I dunno'."

Cosette looked at her curiously with her big blue doe eyes, "Is something wrong? Do you not like football games?"

She shrugged, "It's not that I don't like them, they just aren't my thing."

"Oh why? From what I heard of them they are really cool and full of energy."

"You've never actually been to a high school football game have you?"

Cosette looked down at the desk and shook her head, blushing a bit, "No, there weren't really all that many football games at St. Mary's."

"Do you anything about them….at all?"

Cosette shook her head again, "Nope not a thing. I've heard some things and seen stuff on TV but I don't know how accurate those are. I have a lot of questions and answers but somehow they all seem wrong."

"That sucks," said Eponine as bit her lip as it twitched to the side, "well we can't let you go to the game on your own can we?" Cosette looked up as she rolled her eyes in defeat, "Alright I think about it."

"Really!?" Cosette squealed in delight and she hugged her, "Oh Eponine you are the best!"

"Hey calm down," she said as she delicately tried to pry Cosette off of her, "I didn't say yes, I said I'll think about it."

"Girls!" shouted the teacher at them, "Calm down or I will be forced to separate you!"

They both shrank down in their seats, "Sorry ma'am." They both mumbled

Eponine turned her attention back to the lesson being taught and scribbled down notes in her notebook when a piece of paper landed on her desk, it was from Cosette.

_You will be my best friend if you go, PLEASE!_

Eponine rolled her eyes and responded to the note, she waited until her teacher had her back turned to them to slip the note over to Cosette, who read it over and soon smiled from ear to ear, and then turned her full attention back to the lesson. While she had nothing against football, she did not want to have to hear about it anymore. She silently prayed that Cosette would drop it for now and she could focus on class, luckily her prayers were answered.

* * *

Erik sat in the alcove of the auditorium, it was always quite there and he had a very good view of the entire room, every corner and seat was in his vision. Not only that but the view of the stage was amazing, if the school was smart they would put the seats in there and sell them, but then again that would mean that Box Five would no longer be his, fortunately for him no one ever sat there, or even looked up in it, so it was his for the keeping. He liked the auditorium, it was usually very empty there since it was on the other side of the school but through the vents he could hear the sound from the music wing. One girl in particular had an amazing voice and style that he adored and from time to time he would tutor her; Christine was her name and he was passionate about her. The first time he spoke to her she had been singing and he played the piano in the alcove, he expected her to run off frightened but she didn't and though he never saw her face to face, he often gave her tips and lessons which she graciously took. Music was his passion -listening, performing, composing, everything; if it wasn't for his appearance and comfort in seclusion he would have gone out for every music opportunity there was.

Even though he was in the auditorium he could here all the ruckus from outside. That tended to happen anytime there was some big sport event, which in the case happened to be the year's biggest football game. The noise was getting on his nerves after awhile, lunch was supposed to be his relaxing time in solitude and peace, so he decided to drown it out. He quickly stood up and ran down to the stage where a giant grand piano was placed. He delicately placed his hands over the keys, his fingers tingling with excitement, taking a deep breath to calm himself and then started to play out a melody. It was a simply melody but he loved it, it was his own creation. As the music filled his ears he began to hum along.

"Darkness stirs and wakes imagination….Silently the senses abandon their defenses." He sang softly, "Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendor….grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender …turn your face away from the garish light of day! Turn your thoughts away from cold unfeeling light. And listen to the music of the nig-"

He stopped his words and piano as his ears twitched and he heard something, he wasn't sure what. It sounded like a door opening but then he turned his head to check, not even Christine would be here at this time, but there was no one there, not a single soul. He sat perfectly still and silent for a few more moments, trying to see if anyone would come out but no one did and he didn't hear anything again. After deciding it was all in his head he sighed at turned back to the piano, letting his soul spill once more.

* * *

Eponine scurried down the halls, her boots clicking against the hard tile. Her grumpy mood intensified as her one spot for total peace and quiet was taken up. When the bell rang for lunch she sprinted for the auditorium, only to have her path blocked by hundreds of people. When she finally did reach it she went for the door but heard something as she neared it. At first it sounded like mumbling but as she got closer and closer she could tell someone was singing, even from outside she could tell it was beautiful. She tried her best to be absolutely silent as she opened the door but not a second after she opened it did the music stop. She pressed her back against the wall and held her breath, being who she was hiding and staying under the radar was her specialty, not wanting to be detected. She stayed like that for a few moments until the music began again and then she snuck out, knowing the person probably didn't want her to listen in.

She had a scowl on her face as she went back to the cafeteria, while she respected the privacy of whoever was there she was also very pissed off as they had taken her spot from her, _her spot!_ What annoyed her even more was that's she didn't even know who it was.

She kept the frown on her face as she stomped over to the table where everyone was at and plopped down in between Marius and Joly.

"What's the sour face Ep'?" inquired Joly with a raised eyebrow on his face.

"Nothing," she grumbled, "absolutely nothing."

"You're not sick are you?" worry plaguing his voice, "Because I have a very weak immune system and…"

"OH CALM DOWN JOLY!" she shouted, her face turning red making her black hair and eyes stand out against it, "I'm not sick and even if I was aren't you planning on being a doctor anyway? I don't think you would do well if you are afraid by every little germ you come in contact with!"

Everyone turned to look at her, scared expressions across the board; they all swore that they saw steam coming out of the top of her head. Joly looked away, fearing for his life a bit.

Marius, gently, placed a hand on Eponine's shoulder, "'Ponine? Is everything alright?"

She sighed and rubbed her temples, Marius' touch calming her down a bit, "Yeah sorry, I guess I'm just a little tired and mentally drained from the week."

"Well that's normal; I mean on top of everything you did just get a job."

She cracked a small smile, "Yep, but it's not just that. I swear if I have to sit through one more outburst about the freak-"

"WHO is ready for TONIGHT'S BIG GAME against Broadway?" Grantaire shouted as he approached the table, "Lead by West End's own amazing quarterback Aiden Enjolras!" Gestering to an unamused Enjolras dressed in his red and black Rebels football jersey.

"AH!" Eponine grunted as threw her arms on the table and buried her head in it.

Enjolras gave a concerned look in her direction from behind Grantaire's shoulder, "What's wrong with-"

He was cut off by a warning glare from Marius who had one hand on her shoulder still. Sometimes it was best to let some questions just go unanswered.

* * *

**A/N: I know the schools and mascots may seem a bit off but i was on writers block and i thought why not...i also find it funny that while _Les Miz_ is the longest running running musical followed by _Phantom_ in West End, in Broadway _Phantom_ is the longest running followed by _Les Miz_**

**Anyway please review...Love you all :D**


	9. Every Word That He Says is a Dagger

**A/N; ****I apologize in advance for my lack of football knowlegde, apparently 3 years in marching band doesnt mean you know anything about foot ball but whatever**

* * *

"Look at them go!" Shouted Cosette, grabbing Eponine's arm, as Enjolras threw the ball across the field to an open Combeferre

"I know they are great!" Eponine responded enthusiastically.

"Thank you so much for deciding to come."

She smiled at the blonde warmly, "Well I couldn't miss out on your first football game now could I?"

It had actually taken a little bit more convincing to get Eponine to come. After Eponine's little outburst at lunch all her friends decided to leave her alone, but that only lasted for so long. She went through the rest of the day one step at a time and the bell could not have come any sooner because as soon as it rang and signaled the end of the day she bolted for the door and headed out for the café. She arrived at the café only so see that her friends had already beat her and were in deep conversation. She snuck by them successfully, until she reached the door to the back room and Feuilly spotted her.

"Hey Eponine!" he called out

She winced and then turned around slowly, "Hiya."

"Are you excited for tonight's game?"

"Yeah," she replied unenthusiastically, spinning her finger around before slipping back into the kitchen.

Feuilly raised an eyebrow as her when she reappeared, "Something tells me you aren't as excited as you are giving off."

"Was it the fake enthusiasm?"

"Part of it yes….Are you going to come tonight?"

She took out her little notebook for orders, "I dunno." She shrugged, "What do you want to order?"

"Don't go changing the subject Ep'.'"

"What is Eponine trying to avoid?" asked Marius as he walked into the room

"Giving us an answer of whether or not she is coming to the game tonight."

Marius turned to her with shock in his eyes, "Come on 'Ponine you have to go!"

"But why? It's not like this game is any different from all the others."

All the boys gasped, "Are you kidding?!" Marius blurted, almost not believing what she had just said, "It's the biggest game of the year! We are playing against Broadway! They are our biggest rivals ever!"

"Yeah, yeah I know…."

"We have to support Enjolras." He stated blandly, causing Eponine to narrow her eyes. "He is our friend and we have to support him, he is the quarterback of the team! This game is really important to him."

"Gee it's not like I couldn't tell, especially since that is all he has talked about for the past week."

"Eponine…."

"Oh fine!" she barked, finally cracking, "But this is the last I want to hear of it. Got it?"

They all nodded and Eponine went back to work, while many hated being a waitress she actually quite enjoyed if, the environment was nice and it also meant she didn't have to be at home. After her shift ended she called Cosette and told her that she was going to the game after all. Cosette was super ecstatic and asked Eponine to come an hour early to her house to get ready, Eponine was confused by the request but complied either way.

So that's how we found herself in the bleachers of West End High, dressed in black pants and a red shirt with a stripe of each color of her cheek and a red ribbon tying back her hair and a red and white flower pin stuck onto her shirt, cheering on the team with Cosette who was sporting the same thing- when it came to school spirit Cosette left no detail untouched- much against her better nature.

"How are you enjoying the game?" she asked Cosette

"It's a lot cooler than I thought it would be!"

"Yeah, football games are very energetic." As much as she hated to admit it, Eponine was actually enjoying herself.

The two schools proved to be evenly matched and the score was 34 – 37, with Broadway in the lead but it was still anyone's game. Suddenly the crowd went wild and the girls turned their attention back to the game to see what was happening.

"Look!" Shouted Cosette pointing to the field

It was the last play they had before they had to turn the ball over and they only had 15 seconds on the clock. The Rebels were ready for the play and as soon as the ball was in motion Enjolras looked to see who he could throw the ball to but saw that no one was open; so he did the only thing he could do, he ran!

The two girls looked on in astonishment, "GO ENJY GO!" Eponine cheered from her spot, jumping up and down the bleacher in excitement.

* * *

The crowd shouted as he sprinted down the field at lighting speed, dodging everyone from the opposing team who came near him. 5 seconds were left on the clock and Enjolras tried dodged the last person in his path but the guy hooked on him and tried to tackle him. They both tumbled down falling to meet the floor but with one last strain of energy Enjolras propelled them forward and landed safely in the end zone.

Excitement and pride filled his body as Enjolras realized what just happened. The last touchdown made bumped the score and how West End was in the lead with 40 points. The crowd went wild! West End had claimed the victory, and it was all thanks to him. He stood up, though it took a lot of effort on his part, the guy who tackled him had some real strength, and lifted his hands in victory. The rest of the team ran toward him and huddled, they raised Enjolras high up and he took off his helmet and waved it in the air. The crowd continued to cheer them on and Enjolras looked at them with pride in his eyes. As he looked through the crowd he saw Marius, Joly, Courfeyrac, and Feuilly smiling and cheering him on, from the corner of his eyes he also spotted Eponine near the top of the far bleachers all decked out in spirit wear with blonde girl he didn't recognize

_How can it be?_ He thought. She surprised him the most as he hadn't even expected her to show up, but there she was with a big smile on her face looking very happy, almost like a little girl, he smiled as that was not a side of hers he saw often, if at all.

The team lowered him down, excitement still in each and every member, the next thing he knew someone poured the contents of the Gatorade jug on him and he was drenched in lime Gatorade. He turned to see Grantaire with the jug in his hands and a smug expression on his face. Normally he would have gotten mad but at this moment his spirit was high; nothing could bring it down.

The team was soon lead out, the crowd still cheering them on, and the first people Enjolras saw were Joly, Feuilly, and Marius.

"Dude that play was amazing!" Joly said wide-eyed, "I can't believe you made it!"

"Yeah, especially when that one guy pinned you." Added Feuilly

Marius' eye-widened, "We thought it was all over but then you made it into the end zone!"

Enjolras smirked lightly, "Well I don't want to brag but I knew we had it in the bag." Though in all honestly the moment when no had been open scared him half to death, he ran out of instinct, not really sure how it would end. Luckily it ended in his favor, "What surprises me though is how you actually convinced Eponine to come."

"She's still here?" Marius asked sounding very shocked.

"Yes, I saw her over there with some other girl."

"Oh wow, I thought she left. I mean she greeted us at the beginning of the game and we saw her at half time but I haven't seen her since, I just assumed she went home."

Enjolras looked at him in confusion, everyone knew that the last place Eponine ever wanted to be on a Friday night was home, she never said that or why she felt that way but it was just something they learned over the years. He was about to open his mouth when a little figure came running toward them.

"Hey there, Gavroche." Smiled Courfeyrac as he ruffled the boy's hair

"Hi!" he smiled, his eyes big in amazement, "Enjolras you were great out there!"

"Why thank you Gavroche."

Courfeyrac swiftly put Gavroche on his shoulders, making him laugh, "You know," giggled the little boy, "one day I want to be just like all you guys. I want to be a football star and stand up for my beliefs and…and…."

They four boys laughed as Gavroche showed them so much admiration; he was adorable in everyone's head.

Enjolras grinned, "Keep it up and you just might be."

"Are you hungry?" Courfeyrac asked, tilting his head up to look at the boy on his shoulders. He nodded, "Alright then, let's go get you a pizza before the concession stand closes."

"Yea!" cheered Gavroche was he and Courfeyrac walked away.

The boys chatted for a few more minutes before Marius started looking around and turned on his heel to leave.

"Where are you off to?" asked Enjolras

"I'm going to see if I can find Eponine."

* * *

Eponine walked down the bleachers with Cosette on her heel.

"Wasn't that incredible?!" Asked Cosette

"Yea, I have to admit it was a lot of fun."

"You see I told ya!"

She rolled her eyes, "Yea, yea I know. Hey I have to use the bathroom, do you-" she stopped when she saw Cosette's expression and realized public bathrooms were probably not something she was comfortable with, "Never mind, wait here ok?"

Cosette nodded and Eponine ran off toward the bathroom. As soon as she was done she stepped out and made her way back to Cosette only to have Montparnasse block her path.

"Well if it isn't little 'Ponine, how are you love?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, "What do you want?"

"What can't a friend say hello to another friend?"

"You're not my friend," she stated very matter-a-factly

"Aw, now that hurts 'Ponine it really does."

"Only my friends call me 'Ponine."

"Your father won't too happy to see you treating me like this; maybe he'll just need to teach you a lesson." He said coldly, taking another step toward her.

"Get away from me!" she yelled and then sprinted away from his, making her way through the

crowd of people as Montparnasse struggled to keep up.

She finally got out of his sight only to run into Marius, quite literally.

"Eponine!" He gasped, seeing her red cheeks from running.

"Oh hey Marius." She said sheepishly, blushing a bit.

"Eponine who was that guy?"

Her eyes dilated in shock but he didn't notice, "What guy?"

"The guy who was giving you a hard time, the one you were running away from."

"It's nothing Marius, don't worry about it."

"It's obviously something."

She smiled a bit inside to see how concerned Marius was for her but at the same time she couldn't explain Montparnasse without bringing in her father's gang and that was not something she wanted him to know about, "Just forget about it Marius. Stay out of it ok?" she started to go in the other direction.

"But Eponine!"

"Leave me alone!" she called as she ran in the other direction.

Marius ran after her only to collide with someone else. He lifted his head to see who it was and automatically blushed.

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

She smiled shyly, "It's ok." She was about to say something else when her phone buzzed and she looked down to read it. "I'm sorry but I have to go. I'll see you around." She waved

"See ya…" Marius barley muttered not knowing what else to saw as in that one moment he felt a breathless delight all throughout him.

* * *

Eponine stood by the pole by the gate of the football field, gripping at it so hard her knuckles were white. She had seen Marius bump into the girl, she saw his face as he looked and talked to her a face he had never shown in her presence.

_How can it be? No it can't be…._she thought, _He only saw her for a second._ _It just can't be._

She kept her grip on the pole, trying her best to calm herself down and think reassuring thoughts. It was only when Gavroche and Cosette came up to her that she forced herself to look normal.

"Eponine my father is here, do you want a ride home?"

She nodded slightly and went off with her, a pit forming in her stomach with every step she took. As they all rode in the car Eponine looked out of the window at the stars and the moon, trying her hardest not to think about Marius and the other girl he was with, though it was hard because that same girl was the one giving her a ride home, and that just made everything worse.

* * *

**A/N; Dont hate me...**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N; Please dont hate me for the last chapter...I know I know lots of drama (plus ****this chapter isnt much happier but please dont hate me)  
**

***hides behind a barricade from m/e shippers**

* * *

After the game Cosette's father drove her and Gavroche home, only to have her father waiting up, drunk as usual.

"'Bout time you two got home!" he hollered.

Eponine stood tall and looked him square in the eye, not wanting to show any fear, "We were at the game dad." She stated plainly. Gavroche was behind her and she sneakily gestured for him to go to his room with her hand. He obeyed and dashed for his room.

"It's practically midnight! I doubt the game lasted this long."

"There was a lot of traffic getting out of the school." Her eyes turned into slits, "I'm sorry for not controlling the pace people leave the school." She added sarcastically.

He slapped her, "Don't you back sass me Eponine!" he sneered, "I know why you are so late, you were talking with those friends of yours weren't you?"

"Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't. What difference does it make?" she stated, walking past him.

He stepped closer to her and grabbed her wrist, pulling her hi so close his hot breath pounding on her face and the smell of beer filling her nose, "You really are an idiot Eponine, hanging out with all those boys. They come from a different world than you, they don't like you, not matter what you believe."

She fought back against his hold, "You're wrong." She sneered "They care about me!"

"They pity you Eponine, that's all it is. You are a charity case that makes them feel better about themselves."

Eponine did her best to hold in her emotions but she just couldn't do it, out of anger she looked at her father and spat at him right in the nose.

"You are going to regret that for a year young miss!" he hissed and then proceeded to beat her.

At first he slapped her then he pushed her against the wall and kicked her until she fell to the floor, only to continue kicking her. She yelped in pain and covered her head with her hands trying her hardest to protect herself. After a few more minutes of agony Mrs. Thenardier bursted into the room, awaken by all the noise.

"Get away from her!" she screamed at her husband as she pulled him off.

Thenardier stopped kicking her and looked down at his pathetic looking daughter curled up in the fetal position. "One more slip up and the gang will have to help me teach you to behave." He scorned before turning away and stumbling at to his room.

Mrs. Thenardier glared at him as he wobbled to his room and one he was out of sight she looked down to face Eponine and shook her head in disappointment. Eponine was curled up in pain, her lip was split open and she knew that her body would be covered in bruises. She crouched down and handed Eponine a handkerchief from her pocket. She wasn't the best mother, or a good one at that, but nonetheless she did care for her children.

"It would do you better to hold your tongue than to speak out against him. I thought you learned that by now."

"I did, but there are times when I just can't hold it in any longer. I can't understand how you deal with him, after all these years."

Her face harden a bit but she sighed, "You know I used to dream I would meet a prince, but hell have you seen what's happened since? I've learned to just put up with it; we all must stay alive somehow."

"I know that…"

"Good, now pick yourself up and get to bed, won't do any good to get blood on the floor and make him any angrier."

Eponine nodded glumly and stood up, wincing at the pain it was causing her. She slowly walked past her mother and stumbled into her room. Without thinking she grabbed a change of clothes and a small red towel from her bedside table and went to the bathroom. Under the lights of the bathroom she inspected herself very carefully, her entire torso an upper arms were covered in bruised- some even having blood coming out-, her face was red where her father slapped her and her lip was split open with a steady flow of blood coming out. Taking a deep breath she ran the towel under the sink and cleaned herself off, she learned that using a red towel was better because then she didn't really notice how much blood was coming out of her. Once she was done she placed the towel and her clothes in the giant cardboard box they used as a laundry hamper and step by step went back to her room. She lied down in her bed and looked out the small window, gazing at the stars as they shone brightly on her face. While the sight was pretty she couldn't help but feel sad.

_What if my dad is right? What if they only pity me…._She looked back at the stars as one tear escaped her eye,_ the whole world is sleeping while I'm there in pain, I had nowhere to go, no one to turn to…_._And I'm all alone again…_

* * *

Eponine trudged through school, a glum expression on her face. Her Friday was utterly crappy and her weekend only made things worse. She feared that Montparnasse would make an appearance at her house over the weekend and talk to her father about the game but luckily he never showed. As she walked down the hall pain still echoed through her body. She had made it through most of the day without anyone bothering her, except English, which she had with none other than Cosette.

"Wasn't the game really cool Eppy?!" she asked with cheer in her eyes

"Yea it was a blast." She mumbled, still ticked off at Cosette but trying not to let it show.

"And I saw this one guy! Ah, Eponine he was so dreamy!"

"Oh I bet." Eponine said with slight bitterness in her voice, though Cosette didn't notice.

"I only saw him once but he was just so….AH! I have this strange feeling that my life's begun at last!"

Eponine rolled her eyes, "Glad to see I was such a big help in it."

Cosette didn't notice her comment or her bitterness, "Do you think that people can really fall in love so fast?!"

"Love? Cosette you barley know him? In fact, do you even know his name?"

Cosette's cheeks darkened in embarrassment but she still smiled, "Well no, but does it matter 'Ponine! I just can't explain this feeling! I don't feel alone anymore, now he is so near!" She paused for a moment, "Though I wonder if he saw what I saw or if he feels what I feel."

"I guess you are just going to have to find out." Eponine grumbled before turning around and focusing her full attention on the teacher. She didn't want to have sit through Cosette's speech if every word hurt her and she couldn't even let it show.

Now it was lunch and while she wanted to go to the auditorium like usual, today she was in too much pain to bare the long walk there. She spotted the guys automatically and limped toward them.

Grantaire was the first one up to greet her, "Hey Eppy!" he said patting her on the back.

The force of the pat was enough to make her wince and yelp, "Ah-I…I'm just so happy to see you all." She said, trying to hide her pain and plastering a fake smile on her face.

"Good to see you too." Stated Enjolras who raised an eyebrow at her

"How was your weekend?" asked Courfeyrac as she sat down next to him.

"Normal" She stated, not really wanting to go any further, "Where's Marius?"

Enjolras rolled his eyes, "Off getting his lunch with Joly; it's nice to get a moment of peace."

"What do you mean?" she asked, the knot in her stomach growing

"Ever since that blasted football game all he had been talking about is this girl he met there."

Her heart dropped, "What-"

"If you can even consider that he met her." Added Grantaire, "He doesn't even know her name and already he is singing about her and blah, blah, blah"

"He can't be that bad." she stated, trying to reassure herself rather than everyone else.

"Oh it is." Enjolras stated as he shook his head, "I don't know how much more I can take of it."

Eponine's heart beat raced with every word they said, though she kept her head down and gritted her teeth together to hide her discomfort.

"Eponine are you alright?" asked Courfeyrac, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She winced but nodded, "Yea I'm just peachy."

Enjolras looked at her with concern in his eyes, "Are you positive?"

"Yes!" She snapped

At that moment Marius came in with Joly in tow, blabbing about this mystery girl again.

"Her hair is like the sun, and her eyes are blue like a clear sky!" He said pulling a hand over his heart. "Just one look and I feel like I am soaring though a world, one that is new and free!"

Eponine played around with the wristband on her wrist and tried her best no to look at anyone.

"Marius do you even know anything about this girl?" she whispered hoping no one would hear.

But he did hear, "I know that is sweet and pretty and…and…"

"You only saw her once!" Enjolras barked, mostly due to his annoyance at Marius but partly due to the discomfort he could sense it was causing Eponine.

"Not true, I saw her today." He stated proudly.

"You did?" asked Eponine

"Yes as a matter a fact I did!" he bragged, sending a proud glare to Enjolras, "She was walking down the hall today, she is so put together. Her hair was perfect and there wasn't a stain or wrinkle anywhere on her. She was walking so gracefully, I swear she was perfect."

"Did you talk to her?" asked Enjolras

"Well no but…"

"Wow Marius…" responded Grantaire, "I'm am agahed I am agasted. Are you really in love at last? You know I never think I've ever heard you 'ooh' and 'aah'."

All the others laughed but Eponine drowned them out as she looked down at herself in shame, her father's words sinking in. _They pity_ _you_, she could hear her father say, _they don't actually care about you_. She strummed her fingers through her hair realizing how messy it was and could see all the shadows of the loose strands that escaped her ponytail holder on the table, she looked down at her shirt which had various wrinkles on it and a small red stain on the bottom; it was a blood stain, though she had told everyone it was just ketchup. She remembered that when she walked she was anything but graceful, she was quick and nimble. If her father's words and beating, along with Cosette's loud daydreaming wasn't enough to crack her, then Marius words did. They reinforced everything she had sat through and every word hurt her immensely.

_Every word that he says is a dagger in me._ She thought as she looked down at her hands, trying her hardest not to crack.

"Wait did you say she was all in spirit wear on Friday?"

"Yea, why?"

"And she is blonde right?"

"Yes!"

"Eponine weren't you with…" he began only to be cut off by her icy glare.

It was enough for Marius to understand and his eyes widened with interest, "Eponine do you know her?"

She shrugged and looked away trying not to make contact, his puppy eyes were a weakness of hers, "Eponine who was that girl?"

"I-I don't…" Her eyes were nervous and wandering but Marius didn't seem to notice, "I have to go, I um…have to meet up with a teacher." She said coming up with a lie before snatching up her bag and scurried out of the room. Once she was out she ran for a small corner nearby and kicked the wall front of her only to grunt in pain. She yelped but kept her composure, strength was now the only thing she had left.

* * *

Enjolras watched Eponine run out of the room after the awkward conversation with Marius.

_I'm such an idiot! _He thought as Marius kept speaking about the girl in glee. When he heard say she was dressed from head to toe in spirit wear when he first saw her his mind automatically went to the girl Eponine was with at the game, before he realized it he was about to tell Marius that his mystery girl may not be a mystery after all, only to be cut off by Eponine's piercing glare realizing all too late the hurt in Eponine eyes.

As Eponine ran off Marius took no note in her pain while guilt filled Enjolras.

_What have I done?_

* * *

**A/N; As a side note my dad took me to see Les Miz ...he didnt even make it through _Suddenly_ before falling asleep, shame on him, i had to hit him with my hat to wake him up. And when it wasnt that he was asking me question about the plot line and characters...oh well least i got to see it again right? I still cried during _I Dreamed A Dream, On My Own and __Empty Chairs at Empty Tables. _And my dad prefered Sam Barks to Anne Hathaway (In his words "she actually had a role in the movie") so score one for Eponine**

**Please review (I will make you all wait 32 chapters for a kiss if i dont get at least a review or two per chapter..)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Two things real quick; 1) The '*..*' means i tooks lyrics from Les Miz in spanish and translated them in (what can i say some of those really speak to me, the english lyrics dont get a '*' since i am sure most of you can pick them when you see them)**

**2) While I will not admit an Enjy model will say my vision of Grantaire is Hadley Fraser, he is just perfect (but he was also a great Marius...and National Army Genral... and Raoul, dammit Hadley why are you so perfect!?)**

**I am now off to get a head start on my running away from certain people (e/e and m/e shippers alike) who are going to come after me and try to kill me after reading this chapter and the next**

**Enjoy, and please review :)**

* * *

Cosette danced around her room, feeling light-hearted and as happy as she could possibly be. She may not have known much about the boy at the game but something about him made her heart flutter and something clicked when she saw him. She didn't understand why but she knew in her heart that what she felt was love. In her life she hadn't felt anything like it before.

"How strange….this feeling that my life has begun at last….*I've never felt like this before*" she said to herself as she spun around her room, "Oh what's the matter with you Cosette? You've been on your own too much haven't you? Oh but does it matter, the love in my life is no near now!" she squealed as she fell back on her bed, breathing deeply in delight as she stared up at her ceiling. _Please find me….find me here, find me now._

Just then she heard a knock on her door and her father entered the room.

"Hello Cosette."

"Hi daddy!" she greeted gleefully

"Well you seem rather happy today; anything interesting happen in school?"

She bit her lip to try to- unsuccessfully- hide her smile, "I guess you could say that."

"That's good to hear; you know I worry about you. You are such a lonely child and I know it must be pensive to have only me for company."

"I don't really mind daddy, I have all that I want in life. You are gentle and loving and good."

"Thank you Cosette, but I still worry from time to time, a girl like you can't live her whole life without other friends."

"I have friends dad….well I have one."

"Oh yes, what's her name….Eponine?" He said, trying to play the ignorant father; he knew very well what her name was. From the moment they were introduced on Cosette's first day of school he knew she was the daughter of the Thenardiers- the people who had 'taken care' of Cosette when she was young. At first he was a little hesitant about Cosette becoming friends with her considering their history, but he had seen he could tell that she wasn't anything like her parents were and he trusted that Cosette had good judgment in character. She didn't remember much of her childhood days from back then so he never brought up his grievance to her; besides of all the people she could have befriended he saw that Eponine did seem like a good choice.

"Yes her. She is really nice and we just hung out last Friday at the game."

"I know I know."

"You don't have to worry so much about me dad. I know in your eyes I am still like a child who is lost in the woods but papa I'm no longer a child."

"Oh Cosette," he chuckled, shaking his head a bit, the phone in his office started to ring just then, "Now if you will excuse me, I do believe I have to go take care of some business."

She nodded politely and with that he left her room, leaving Cosette on her own to turn back to daydreaming.

* * *

Marius sat at his desk trying to do his math homework but after a few minutes he realized he could not focus. His mind was flooded with images of his angel. Her hair, her eyes, her smile, her voice, everything! In all his life he never had a girl made him like that before. He knew that everyone was getting annoyed with him but he couldn't care less. They didn't understand how he felt, especially Enjolras who showed to be the most annoyed with him. All that boy ever cared about was school, or rather getting into a good one. Every day since the first day of his freshman year he has had his focused settled on achieving- no over-achieving, achieving wouldn't be enough for him- whether it was acing every one of his AP classes, running the student government, community service, leading the speech team and football to victory or whatever else he had in his sleeve. A guy like Enjolras didn't have time for a relationship, or even getting lost in love for a bit. Due to that he tried to ignore most of what Enjolras said but one thing he mentioned stuck out to Marius.

_"Hey Eponine, weren't you with…"_ He remembered him say earlier that day at lunch; a light bulb went off in Marius' head after that. Eponine knew his mystery girl….possibly, and it that was the case then she wouldn't be a mystery for much longer. He wanted to ask Eponine about her but she left before he could get two words in, something about meeting with a teacher. He had texted her earlier to but he was still waiting for a response. He reached over to grab his phone on the desk and checked to see if there were any new messages, there weren't. Marius sighed and threw his phone on his bed not really thinking much of her unresponsiveness, when it came to Eponine he knew it was best not to interfere too much, she had a tendency to close up and get defensive but she had a sensitive side too. He picked up his phone again and decided to send her one last text.

_Hey 'Ponine, please call ASAP I need to talk to you about something._

Content with the text he pressed send and turned back to his homework, only to find that his mind filled with the girl once more.

* * *

Montparnasse sat on the grimy couch of the living room in the Thenardier household. Thenardier had called them all in to plan some big robbery that had just occurred to him and everyone seemed to like his plan and were keen on getting in on it. Montparnasse on the other hand just sat there, since he was in seventh grade he had been a part of the gang, and he defiantly earned his spot. He was a master lock-pick and he had a glare that could intimidate almost anyone, plus he had brains to match his brute, fair to say that he was one of Thenardier's despite his age. He looked out the window to see if he could spot Eponine, he 'liked' her so to say and he knew there was no way to escape him when he was at her house. It was raining heavily outside and he wondered how much longer it would take her to get home. He was still looking outside the window when he noticed what looked like a car, and a nice one at that, pull up in the driveway. He didn't recognize the car and he knew that it didn't belong to anyone in the gang, all their cars were crappy. The car stayed still for a moment and it looked like someone was going to get out when it jerked in reverse and sped down the road.

Something about that car and the people in it struck Montparnasse the wrong way. A car turning around wouldn't have taken that long in the driveway and the way it sped off made it seem suspicious. He didn't know that the deal was but he was determined to find out, and as everyone knew when he wanted something he went through the nose to get it.


	12. Chapter 12

**You know i realized that i never actually mentioned how Enjolras, or any of the characters really looked like or who i modeled them after and for the sake of imagination i wont really go into that (I love both Aaron and Ramin and I know either way i will crush someone's image) but as for Eponine, well in all honesty i kind of picture me in her shoes when i write this but you all dont know what i look like so lets just say its Sam Barks :D**

**Hope you like this**

* * *

Eponine made her way home by foot on her own, Azelma was hanging out with some friends for a few hours and told Eponine that one of them would give her a ride home. Eponine didn't really mind, in fact alone time was what she needed. After escaping Marius' constant blabbing at lunch she decided to go to the auditorium after all, though the walk did hurt her, and as soon as she got there she went on the stage and sat on the piano bench. She loved music, she even taught herself how to play piano, it was of the only times she could say what she really felt and not get in trouble for it –mostly because she never shared it- and it was usually a form of comfort for her, though this time when she sat at the bench her fingers were frozen over the keys and nothing came out. After a moment though a simple pattern played through her head

"Hmm, hm, hm, hmhm hmmm hm-hm…" she hummed along, "All alone…"

Other lyrics were flooding into her head and she automatically took out her notebook to write them, before long she had a nice little poem written down, it was a happy little poem that ended with 'And all I see is him and me forever and forever…" She was fairly pleased with herself and found that her mood went up too. A little smile grew on her face and she sighed.

_He may be blind but I know there is a way for us_, she thought as she gathered her things and left the auditorium, completely unaware that someone was watching her.

After that she let the auditorium feeling a bit more light-hearted but it became heavy again as soon as she entered the gymnasium and sat through more of Marius' blabbing, plus today they were just sitting in the bleachers due to some locker room cleaning that was occurring so there wasn't even the distraction of an activity going on to occupy her mind or defer her attention from him. There was nothing she could do but sit there and plaster a smile on her face as he kept going on and on about the new love of his life.

"I look and I knew Eponine! It feels like she had bursted through the music of angels and something has just scarcely begun."

"That's great Marius." She supported with false encouragement.

After that class she got out of there as fast as she could and tried to make it through the rest of the day. Now she was walking home, walking provided the best option seeing as no one offered her one and she didn't ask either. She needed time for herself to think and while she didn't live far from school the walk still provided a good amount of time for herself.

_It's ok, it's just a phase. He will get over it….yea right Eponine get real!_

She felt her whole world had crumpled right in front of her. If it wasn't enough that her home life was a hell-hole now the only light in her life flickered off; Marius had fallen for Cosette, after just one glance at her! What hurt Eponine was not just that he had fallen for her but that one look was all it took. Cosette was nice and sweet and polite but that wasn't why he liked her, he liked her because she was well-kempt, pretty and everything Eponine realized she wasn't, that's what killed her on the inside. She had been Marius for almost three years now and for over two years she had liked him, maybe even loved, and she had hoped he would see her the same way.

_I'm such an idiot!_ She thought, kicking a rock in her path to the fence next to her, when she felt a drop of rain fall down on her nose and run down her cheek. The slight rain felt good at first and she lifted her face to the rain hoping it would wash away but soon it started to rain harder and harder until it was pouring and she was drenched. She wrapped her arms around her body and kept going. As she walked she noticed some flowerbeds next to the sidewalk that looked a bit dry.

"At least the rain will make the flowers grow." She mumbled under her breath

She heard the rumbling of a car behind her and didn't think much of it until she realized it was slowing down then she quickened her pace. The car pulled up next to her and the window rolled down, revealing a familiar face.

* * *

Enjolras looked at her with a sympathetic expression, "Need a ride?"

She shook her head, "No I'm fine." She stated as she kept on walking.

"Eponine it's raining." He called out, his car following her

"Really? I had no idea."

"Eponine…"

"What!?" she barked harshly, her nerves ticking every second

"Don't tell me you prefer getting soaked."

"A little fall of rain can hardly hurt me now."

"Come on Eponine." He persisted

"You're not going to give up are you?"

"Nope"

"Fine." She sighed and walked around the car, slipping into the passenger seat.

The car was warm compared to outside and as the hot air blew on her body and it started to stay still, she hadn't even realized she was shaking. Looking around the car she could tell it was a very expensive car and automatically she felt bad for making wet. As they drove off she bit her lip and decided to keep mum, she had her moment of weakness but she was a Thenardier and Thenardiers were strong.

Enjolras looked over her for a bit before driving off. She looked like a mess, in more ways than one. As they drove Eponine was silent and saw with her arms crossed against her chest, trying to suppress her shivering, but he could tell she was also trying to hold herself together, or maybe even hold something in. He reached back to the back seats and pulled up his red sweatshirt, handing it to Eponine, she shook her head to refuse it at first but a stern look from him and she accepted it, quickly sliding her arms into it and zipping the zipper up to her chin. Enjolras was both confused and concerned as he studied her. He could tell something was bothering her, even if she was trying to look apathetic and slightly annoyed if anything and he sensed that it had something to do with earlier at lunch.

"Eponine," he whispered cautiously, "Are you alright?"

She kept her face tense, "Just peachy."

"No you're not." He stated plainly

"What makes you the expert?" she asked coldly.

"I can tell when someone is upset."

"Oh bring out the metal." She narrowed her eyes at him, "Look I am perfectly fine and dandy ok?! There is nothing you have to concern her handsome little head over."

Enjolras groaned as his patience wore thing and pulled over next to a park. Driving and arguing with Eponine was not a safe combination. If there was one person who could hold their ground in a debate against him it was Eponine, they were both stubborn and headstrong; no doubt things would get ugly.

"You didn't seem fine when I saw you walking down the street in the rain."

"I just wanted some time to clear my head!"

"In the rain?"

"Well it wasn't raining when I started walking" she responded in irritation, getting very worked up, "and I didn't plan on it. I just had no other way to get home and I just needed time to think to myself and clear my head…to escape" she whispered the last part.

It had been loud enough for him to hear "Escape what exactly?"

"What's it to you? Look I get that you are trying to be a Good Samaritan and all but I'm really not in the mood to spill my life's sorrows, especially not to you!" she practically yelled at him.

"Fine then!" He blurted, having enough of her, and turned on the ignition and headed off.

The rest of the ride was silent except for Eponine quick direction to her house. Once they got there he noticed her stiffen from the corner of his eye and saw her eyes widen in something he had never seen in her before.

In the driveway were a handful of beat up cars and from the window he could see the silhouettes of a bunch of men in the living room.

"Something wrong?" He asked, she remained still and silent, for once Eponine Thenardier looked afraid. "Eponine! What is it?!"

"My father's gang is home." She said distantly, looking off at the house. She noticed a figure that she knew was Montparnasse and something told her he had decided against keeping mum about her treatment of him at the game. She shook her head and quickly regained her composure, "I guess I was going to have to deal with them sooner or later."

She reached down to unlatch her seatbelt but before she could she felt the car jerk backwards and speed down the street away from her house.

"What are you doing?!" she asked, gripping at the seat.

"I choose later."

* * *

***hiding from m/e shippers behind the barricade (and using Enjolras as a shield)**


	13. Chapter 13

***Still hiding behind the barricade and using Enjorlas as a human shield**

***Enjolras pushes me in front of him and tells me to suck it up.**

**Me;Geez now i see why there are so may Enjy fangirls**

**Enjolras; Dont call me Enjy**

**Me; Whater *sticks tongue out at him**

**Anyway, just some fluff for now, hope you like this...Please tell me what you think :)**

* * *

The only sound that could be heard was the rumbling of the car as it drove over the pavement. Eponine remained silent and wide-eyed as Enjolras continued driving, neither said a single word. She pulled her arms tighter around herself, secretly thankful Enjolras had loaned her his warm jacket -though she would never admit it since she tried to refuse it at first- and turned her head nervously to face him. The look on his face was a something she had never seen him show before, especially considering he always looked so cold. He still had that cold stoic look but there was something else to, it was like a combination of irritation, anger, focus, and something she could not place, was it concern? Relief? Annoyance? She continued staring at him not really knowing what to say, she opened her mouth a few times but no words came out.

Enjolras kept his eyes on the road but out of the corner of his eye he looked at Eponine and noticed she was staring at him too. He had no idea why he did what he did, it just happened. For as long as he had known Eponine he had learned one thing very clearly, she is hard to scare; so when he saw the look of fear in her eyes when they pulled up into her house he knew he couldn't just leave her there.

After a few more moment Eponine broke the silence, "Where are you taking me?"

"Huh?" he hadn't expected her to ask that so suddenly

"Where-Are-You-Taking-Me?" she annunciated

"I heard you the first time, and…I don't really know. I hadn't planned that far."

She rolled her eyes, "You didn't have to do that you know."

He looked offended, "What did you just expect me to let you put yourself in danger?" he asked

"Well I didn't expect you to interfer with something that wasn't any of your business."

"Can't you just thank me?" he asked, annoyed, "Like a normal person." he whispered the last part under his breath.

She heard him clearly, "Can't you be like a normal person and just tell me where you are taking me? Otherwise I may just assume you are kidnapping me."

To that he let out a laugh, "And why would I want to kidnap _you_?"

"I don't know! You're the criminal master mind here, not me!" She let out a little chuckle, "Well where were you heading when you saw me?"

"Nowhere really," he paused for a moment, "I was planning on going to the café but…"

"That sounds good to me; in fact I think we are already there."

"What?" he said before glancing out the window and realizing she was right. "Well alright then." He pulled into a parking space and turned to face Eponine, "Would you care to accompany me for a cup of coffee?" he asked, hoping it would lift the tension.

It worked, she laughed, "I'm actually not a fan of coffee, it's too bitter for my taste, but I wouldn't mind accompanying you." She answered as she got out of the car

Enjolras sat there for a moment, speechless, before he shook his head and came back to his senses. He quickly turned off the ignition got out of the car and caught up with her, luckily the rain let up.

"Wait you work in a coffee shop and you don't like coffee?"

"Ironic isn't it?"

"Very."

"I'm sure a cup of hot chocolate would work just as well," she responded, "as long as you're paying."

"Hold on, why am I paying?"

"Because you're the one who offered." She answered as if the answer was obvious. He looked at her in confusion, causing another laugh from her, "Don't worry I'll get a small so not to leave a dent into your oh-so-small funds, unless you don't want to pay in which case I'll go back and…"

"No it's fine," he chuckled, cutting her off, "I can pay."

"Great." She grinned, turning her head to face him and not noticing how close the first step to the café was until he tripped over it. She expected to fall head first on the ground but instead felt a strong arm around her waist holding her up.

"You should really be more careful."

"Thanks," she blushed, "I'll keep that in mind." She regained her footing, brushing off her embarrassing fall and the pain his arm around her bruised torso caused, and the two quickly stepped inside the café.

"Enjolras how are you doing my boy….Eponine!" greeted Mr. Myriel, "what are you doing here? You aren't scheduled to work today."

"I know; I just love this place so much."

"I'm glad to hear that." He smiled and then something caught his eye, "Well you kids enjoy your evening, I have to go take care of something."

Enjolras nodded, "Thank you sir."

As Enjolras stood in line to get the drinks Eponine went to save a table for them. She chose one by the large window and while waited she found herself gazing out the window. There were still raindrops on the window and on the black pavement of the parking lot.

_In the rain, the pavement shines like silver_ she sang in her head; _all the lights are misty…_

"Order up." Enjolras said, breaking her out of her trance, "You know it's ironic, on some other day you would be the one bringing the order to me."

She giggled as she took the hot chocolate, taking note that spared no expense and got he got her a large, "Which is why I'm going to take advantage of this now."

"Fair enough." He said, nodding his head slightly.

For a few minutes nothing was said between the two, they sat there at the table sipping their drinks and avoiding eye contact.

Finally Eponine couldn't take it, "Thank you." She mumbled

"For the chocolate? I assure you it was no…"

"No," she said with a slight head shake, "for…everything."

"What you do you mean?"

"For offering me a ride and for, well, not leaving me at my home just now"

"It was the decent thing to do; I couldn't just leave you there it looked unsafe. It was what anyone would do."

"Not anyone I know." She said under her breath, "In my life, there hasn't been anyone that nice to me, most people just let me be on my own and don't really give me a second glance…ACHOO!" she sniffed

"Bless you, and that's their mistake." He paused for a moment before continuing, "So are you going to tell me what was wrong."

"Thanks," she said out of instinct as she took out her phone, "and I did tell you, it was nothing."

"Eponine…"

"No matter how many times you say my name like that it won't change anything."

"Why won't you tell me?"

"Because it's none of your business."

"Like hell it isn't, you're my friend and I for one want to know why my friend is upset."

"Oh yea that's me Eponine Thenardier, 'Queen of the friend zone." She muttered bitterly under her breath.

"Would this have anything to do with Marius liking that one friend of yours?"

"I don't know what…"

"Don't even try that Eponine, I saw you with a blonde girl clear as day at the game and something tells me it the same girl who has captured Marius' attention."

"If you know so much then why are you asking?" she asked bitterly

"I'm sorry….for earlier today. I shouldn't have mentioned that to Marius."

She looked up from her phone, "It doesn't matter now, what's done is done. He had already texted me a couple times, most likely so see if I can help him win Cosette's heart."

"So that's her name…Cosette."

"Yea pretty and elegant, just like her." She said sadly

Enjolras took note of her tone, "Between you and me," he said bringing his head in close, "I think Marius is an idiot."

"Huh?"

"He barley even sees the girl and yet he claims he is head over heels. What if he meets her and she turns out to be a bitch."

"She isn't," Eponine answered sadly, "she is actually the nicest girl I've ever met."

"Oh." He said, his face dropping a bit. "What compelled you to fall for a guy that impulsive and impressionable? I would assume you would be into someone more steadfast and ... well more like you."

She shrugged, "I don't know. In my life there hasn't really been anyone like him anywhere. I guess that he just suck out to me."

"Apparently"

"Yeah, you know I used to dream that *maybe, in some place* he would see me like I see him."

"Eponine I don't know how to put this gently but I wouldn't get my hopes up."

"Don't you think I know that?! *I know how easy it is to dream*, but that never stopped me from doing so."

He placed a hand on hers, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it's not your fault he never saw me there." She looked up at him and tried her best attempt at a small smile, "Oh geez I must sound like a wreck right now." She said not only in regards to her messy hair and muddy clothes, but her emotional state

"On the contrary it's nice to see the oh-so-tough-as-nails Eponine Thenardier show her soft side. It's like finding a four leave clover."

"Oh shut up." She grinned, smacking his shoulder.

After that the mood lightened up again the two joked around and laughed. Eponine wasn't like the other girls at school, she was street-smart, witty and sarcastic, and she had a different perspective on issues than the guys did and he appreciated that point of view; due to that she was one of the only girls Enjolras could hold a conversation with that lasted more than two minutes or involved anything other than class work. Enjolras was handsome, there was no doubting that, and being the quarterback of the team attracted many girls, and the fact that he wasn't a player or a douche attracted even more. He was constantly being flirted with but always brushed it off, he didn't really like girls throwing themselves at him and he didn't really have time for them anyway.

Their conversation mostly centered on school, Grantaire's behavior, and other light subjects, Enjolras was careful not to bring up Marius. They noticed both noticed that she sneezed and sniffled more than usual, which prompted Enjolras to tease her about being right about the rain, causing a sugar packet to hit in the dead center of his forehead. After about two hours at the café Eponine told Enjolras that she thought the coast was clear for her to go home now and asked if he could take her back, to which he happily obliged.

"Are you sure it's safe?" Enjolras asked as he drove her home.

"Yes I'm pretty sure, most of them usually don't stay this long and those that do are too drunk by now to be any real concern."

"You've been through this same situation a lot haven't you?"

"More than I'd like, but I usually try to avoid being home when they are, or if I am I just lock myself in my room till they leave." She answered very simply as if she was stating the answer to a math problem.

"Then why were you going to face them today?"

"It would have been weird to get out of your car and walk away from the house or to ask you to take me somewhere else...ACHOO...well I guess not that weird considering how it turned out."

"I guess not." He chuckled. "Oh and bless you."

"Thank you." She sniffed

They finally pulled up to her house and just like she predicted most the cars were gone, only one remaining, and the crowd in the living room seemed non-existent.

"Are you sure you will be ok?"

"Nothing I can't handle." She shrugged and began to unzip the sweatshirt.

He put a hand on her shoulder, "No its ok, it's still cold out and you need it more than me."

"Th-thank you," She stammered, smiling as well, "for everything."

"It wasn't a problem; on the contrary I actually enjoyed it. You're much better company than Marius at the moment."

She smiled shyly again, "Thanks, wow I'm saying thanks a lot today aren't I?"

"Little bit." He answered, extending his thumb and pointer finger together. "And don't let Marius get to you, I know in the end everything will work out."

She grinned a bit but it soon faltered as a thought came into her head, "Please don't tell Marius about this."

"About what?" he asked cocking an eyebrow.

"About me liking him, it would just make things awkward."

"You never know, he could change once he realizes your feelings, he might even start to feel the same way."

"I doubt that, from what I've heard his taste is the exact opposite of what I am, he will never feel this way." She shrugged

"So you are just going to go let him go on about Cosette while you sit there in silence?"

She shrugged, "Again, I'm used to it."

Enjolras didn't really know how to take that, he noticed that her attitude changed from earlier had changed from moody and irritated to speaking as if she stating facts from a book. Whether she actually felt that way or was forcing herself to be like that he couldn't tell.

Eponine smiled at him, "Thanks, once again, for tonight Enjy, you're a great friend."

"I thought I asked you not to call me Enjy." He teased

"And I thought I asked Grantaire to stop poking me." She responded as she grabbed her bag and opened the door, "Good night Enjolras."

"Night 'Ponine."

She smiled as she realized that was the first time he called her by that nickname before turning around to walk to her door, waving good-bye to him as he drove off.

_He really is a great friend , annoying and stoic but great _She thought before entering her dark house.

* * *

**Oh snap she just friend-zoned him! Looks like the Queen of the Friend zone wants to share the title :P**

***_Dressed as a boy to further hide myself from m/e shippers since Enjy wont let me hide behind him (and to hide from Grantaire who was making some passes on me when he was drunk...) _**

**Enjolras; Hey dont drag me into this! And how many times do i have to ask you to stop calling me Enjy?!**

**Me; I think we past that line awhile ago, and you can ask however many times you want, I'm not going to stop :P**

_***Enjolras grunts in frustration and walks away**_


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N; Hey guys, so we are having internet issues ….Ahh living without fan fiction was so flipping hard, it killed me a bit! I have no idea how I am going to do it next month…but that's a different story**

**Anyway guess what!? In ****_Musical Theater Experience!_**** my teacher wanted three girl soloists to work with a clinician and I might be one of those girls! Fair ****to say I am a little nervous….wish me luck!**

**Enjolras; Luck won't help you, skill and practice will**

**Me; Shut up Enjy no one asked you!**

**Enjolras; Stop calling me Enjy!**

**Me; Smile more!**

***continue bickering**

**Courfeyrac; *****_Looking at us like we are insane_**** While those two keep talking, please enjoy the chapter. And if it isn't too much to ask, please review and tell her what you think, please do….. I think she might be crazy**

**Me; I can hear you!**

***Courfeyrac runs away**

* * *

Montparnasse watched from the shadows, a cigarette hanging from his mouth. He had been in Thenardier's home for hours and Eponine still hadn't shown up, not even a sign of her, that's when he remembered the car; he wasn't an idiot, he knew how to put two and two together, while the Thenardiers couldn't afford a car that nice, nor could anyone from their gang, one of Eponine's 'friends' could. He had seen Eponine talk to those boys, and even hang out with them from time to time, they were your classic rich boys, studious, put together, always flaunting the fact that they had money and could afford whatever they wanted, what they were doing with Eponine he did not know but it rubbed him the wrong way.

After the meeting Montparnasse drove around the block and circled back, parking in the black shadows of the trees, hoping the car would come back. His theory was proven correct when he saw the silver car pull up into the driveway again. For awhile all was still and no one out, but once the car door opened he saw it was none other than Eponine herself leaving the passenger seat. She had this stupid smile on her face as she bid the driver good-bye, waving back at him once she was at the door, it was a smile of content and nervously. Montparnasse squinted his eyes to try to get a good look at the driver but he couldn't make out much except that the driver was indeed a guy.

Everything started clicking in that twisted mind of his. He could feel his blood boil as several possible and explanations entered his head, each one only making him angrier.

_Has Eponine betrayed us? Did that guy convince her to spill everything?... Did he act as her knight in shining amour? Was she seeing him?_

The last thoughts really got under Montparnasse's skin, he puffed on his cigarette a few times but either way his hatred for the person in the car grew with each second. Eponine was his and his alone! Montparnasse knew he could have other girls and he had been with others, multiple others, but Eponine's fire and struggles against him only made him crave her more. He didn't know who was in the car or what his business was with Eponine but he did know one thing, he wasn't going to let her go without a fight.

* * *

Eponine crept into her house quietly, the room was dark but she knew from experience that the darkness only posed more dangers, they hid the threats that light would otherwise reveal. She was just about to pass through the living room and go down to the hallway toward her room when her shifting weight caused the floor to creak under her and her father popped into the room behind her from a shadow and turned on the light.

"Well if it isn't my precious Eponine."

She gulped slightly, all the cheer that she just experienced drained from her body, and slowly turned to face him, "Father."

"Oh come now, no need to be so formal, I'm your daddy."

She nodded but remained silent.

His demeanor changed from fun drunk to threatening, "Where've you been girl."

"Out." She responded flatly

He took a large step toward her, causing to back up, "Don't you get all snippy with me young miss. Answer the question!"

She looked up to meet his face, her eyes icy, "I don't see why it matters but if you must know I was at the café."

"You spend a lot of time there don't you."

She shrugged, "It's a nice place, nice atmosphere, good food, nice people…."

"People like those rich boys you spend your time with." He stated curiously, cutting her off.

"Only one was there today." She said defensively, "I don't see why you are so interested, you never cared before."

"Montparnasse was asking for you."

"And I care because?"

"He is fond of you that boy is."

"And others are of him," she said mockingly, "but I couldn't care less."

His eyes narrowed at her, "Watch out young miss you've got some gall, you've got a lot to say. Let me tell you something, that boy is the biggest asset to the gang we have. He cashes in more profit than anyone….even more than you did as a child. You used to be an excellent pickpocket and thief and no one suspected a thing, making you all the better."

Her icy glaze broke for a second but she quickly froze them again, "Don't remind me of my past! I told you I was done! I don't need to relive it!"

"Do not tell me what to do, I AM YOUR FATHER!" he spat, "Now where was I, oh yes, that boy's mind are what bring in money, money that supports all this." He said gesturing to the shabby room.

"You mean all this crap." She challenged

"You ungrateful brat!" He yelled lunging at her

She turned to run but he grabbed her by her coat sleeve, pulling her back until he got a good grip on her hair. He dragged back to the middle of the living room by her hair and threw her on the floor, adding a hard kick to her side. He picked her head up by her hair again to make her look straight into his eyes.

"This may not be much compared to all your rich 'friends' but get this through your thick skull 'Ponine, you don't belong with them!" He threw her head back down, "You belong with people like us. Like father like daughter the scum of the street. I accepted the fact of what I am, its time you did too. Montparnasse is like us not only that but he likes you, and if what you are what it takes to keep him happy then you better stuck it up." He crouched down next to her, "My dear we all must stay alive."

Her face filled with anger and hurt, reaching to the point where she couldn't hold it in anymore and she spat at him, hitting him square in the eye.

He fell back in shock, "You are going to pay for that you brat maybe it's time to teach you a lesson!"

He reached down to his belt buckle to undo his belt and slid it off. He raised his hand and Eponine tensed up, ready for impact, when a small voice broke through.

"NO! Get away from her!" it cried and a small figure ran to her aid.

"Gavroche no!" She screamed

_SLASH!_ It was too late he jumped in just in time to take the first lash; he yelped in pain and fell to the floor. Eponine reacted in an instant she pulled herself up and embraced Gavroche, guarding him with her own body, her back taking the next whipping. Pain filled her body and Gavroche tried to squirm out of her hold but she wouldn't let him go. Her father raised his arm again but this time Eponine extended her leg out in front of her and swung it under him, causing him to fall flat on his back and have the wind knocked out of him. The two children wasted no time, before Thenardier even had a chance to realize what happened they sprang onto their feet and ran back into Eponine's room. She pushed Gavroche in before using her body weight to slam the door open and locking it, even going so far as using the extra bolts she installed herself. Eponine pressed her back against the wall and took a deep breath before letting out a big sigh of relief. She looked up to see Azelma curled up on her bed looking afraid for her life and Gavroche on the other bed with pain swimming in his eyes.

She walked over toward him, regret and guilt plaguing her, as put a hand to his little head, "Gavroche I am so sorry."

He looked offended, "Why should you feel sorry? You aren't the one that whipped me, dad is."

Azelma's eyes widened, "He what?!"

Eponine shook her head, "Buts it's all my fault. If I had…."

"Eponine what are you talking about? This isn't your fault."

"Yes it is Gavroche!" she said wringing her hands together, "If I just learned to hold my tongue and do what papa says then he wouldn't get so mad and he wouldn't hurt you."

"How can you say that?"

"Because it's true!"

"No it isn't." said the younger of the two

"Yes it is! I know how he is but I keep pushing my limits. If I just kept my trap shut then none of this would happen. You wouldn't have gotten hurt…"

"Ep'" said Gavroche as he climbed unto her lap and curled in her arms, "it's not your fault, not at all. It's not your fault he is drunk, it's not your fault he is violent and it's not your fault he hit me…or you."

"I just wish you hadn't gotten hurt." She whispered softly as she gently stroked his head with her fingers, "I can handle getting hurt but I can't handle seeing you guys suffer under my watch. Promise me you will never to that again. Please promise me you will stay put no matter what!" she said as he put her chin on the top of his head.

Gavroche stiffened a bit but nodded. He lifted his head to meet her eyes but when he say her face his face scrunched a bit, "'Ponine, your nose is bleeding."

"What?" She asked in slight surprise, bringing the tip of her sleeve up to her nose, realizing all too late once it reached her nose that she was still wearing Enjolras' sweatshirt. "Shit." She muttered under breath as she flicked her hand down and saw that Gavroche was right, blood was coming out of her nose, "Great just perfect….Azelma could you hand me something to wipe my nose with."

Azelma hopped on her bed and handed her a tissue, her eyes a bit curious, "Whose jacket is that?"

"Huh?" she asked as she dabbed her nose

"Whose sweatshirt it that?"

"Mine." Eponine said with a slight roll of her eyes

"Nah I don't think so, you may be a master liar but I know that isn't yours."

"Oh really, what makes you so sure?"

"You wouldn't care so much if you got blood on something of yours….actually you would be more willing to use that since its red."

Eponine sighed in defeat, "Fine, if you must know it belongs to a friend."

Azelma raised an eyebrow, "Which one?"

"Enjolras" Gavroche chimed in.

"Gavroche!" exclaimed Eponine

Azelma's eyes widened, "Really! How do you know?"

"I see him where it all the time, kind of hard to miss it since its bright red, plus the pin on it kind of gave it away."

"Dammit," muttered Eponine under her breath. From the corner of her eye she saw Azelma grinning at her, "What?!"

"That's Enjolras' sweatshirt." She beamed

"Yes and?"

"You're wearing his sweater!" she squealed

"Your point being?"

"You were hanging out with him today weren't you? That's why you were out!"

Eponine rolled her eyes, "He saw me walking and it was raining, so he offered me a lift."

"School's been out for hours."

"To the café." Eponine said as if it was obvious.

"Oh really?" Azelma asked, wiggling her eyebrows

"Right….and his jacket?"  
"Unlike most guys, Enjolras is happens to be nice. I was cold and wet so he offered it; he would have done the same for anyone."

Suddenly there was a pounding at the door.

"Eponine get your lazy ass out here now!" her father hollered on the other side of the door

Eponine tensed but didn't move, "No!"

"What did you say?"

"She said no!" yelled Gavroche, causing Eponine to spring up and pull him close to her.

""You kids think you are so smart, hiding in that room, but you can't stay in their forever. You have to come out sometime." He stayed at the door for another moment before giving up, turning on his heel leaving them.

Eponine looked at Gavroche with hesitation, "Gavroche he won't be very happy with you in the morning….."She sighed, "I'm gonna be in for it."

"Why should you take the heat? You don't deserve it!"

She ran her fingers through his hair, "Shhhh….I couldn't bear it if you guys got hurt due to me. Knowing you are safe and ok makes everything bearable." _That and Marius_, "Now let's put this all aside for now and get our homework done 'kay?"

The two younger kids nodded and they all went to work. This wasn't the first time they were all trapped in that room for the night, it had happened many times, and they were already prepared for it. Eponine went to the back of the closet and pulled out several blankets while Azelma went to the dresser and got out the boxes of crackers, pretzels, bag of apples and can of peanut butter that they stashed there. Without saying much the three kids got into their normal routine and spent the night working away.

When it was time for bed Gavroche was already half asleep so Eponine carried him over to her bed and tucked him in. She made a pile of blankets into a makeshift bed on her floor and lied down. As she snuggled in she found herself staring out into the darkness again. She noticed that the trees were full of starlight in the night and smiled at the pretty sight. She turned her head to face her sleeping siblings and the pain in her back seemed a lot more prevalent, but she didn't mind.

The morning sun flooded into the small room and landed directly on Eponine's eyes. She woke up and stretched her arms over her head, automatically wincing as the sting from last night's lash kicked in. She sat up and gently reached back to touch the tender spot on her back. She slowly stood up and walked over to the mirror on the far in the corner, stopping when she could get a good view at her entire body. She was wearing pajamas consisting of shorts and a tank top, hiding nothing from her. She saw that her upper arms, especially her shoulders, were slightly purple and lifted her shirt a bit to reveal her abdomen, which was covered in purple bruises and red marks. She turned around slightly so she could inspect her back and noticed that the mark from the belt was red and swollen. Remembering the lash her brother got she turned her head to look over at Gavroche only to see that he wasn't there.

Gavroche was missing and panic swept through her. The door was still locked and the room was small but he was nowhere in sight. She collapsed on the windowsill, head in her hands, when something caught her attention. While the window was closed the latch was undone and a small piece of paper sat next to her….

* * *

Gavroche took a deep breath as he walked up to the door with nothing but the clothes on his back and his backpack. He had snuck out of Eponine's room earlier that morning, being as sneaky as he could possibly be so not to wake either of his sisters up, and then he snuck into his room through his window, he grabbed what he needed and hightailed it out of there.

After the incident the night before he couldn't stay at that place called home. He woke up late that night and looked over on the floor where Eponine was asleep, she rolled over in her sleep and in the moonlight he saw all of her bruises, the mark from the belt and shadows from previous beatings. He sat there and realized that hardly any bruises were on him, he just couldn't stand it; he had to leave. His only regret was leaving his sisters but Eponine took more beating because of him and he couldn't let her do that, it killed him inside. So before the sun rose he left his house behind and didn't look back.

He slowly took a deep breath and knocked on the door of the house. When the door opened Gavroche was relieved to see a familiar face looking at him, even it was full of surprise.

Gavroche smiled shyly, "You said your door was always open."

* * *

**Thanks to Allana Stone for the inspiration :D And thanks to all of my wonder readers and reviewers, I love you all! :D**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N; I hope this chapter's length evens out the fact that nothing really happens…but btw We reached over A HUNDRED COMMENTS! WOO HOO, not even my other story (the one with 33 chapters) has a hundred yet. Thank you guys! I love you all and I can't thank you enough for your support :) **

**Please don't stop there, keep reviewing & commenting, it means a lot when you do :)**

***Enjolras shakes head at me as I do my happy dance**

**Courfeyrac; I honestly think she is crazy….as in insane asylum crazy**

***I ignore them and keep dancing* And guess what else, there are two new Les Miz High School AU fan-fictions out there now, hehe. I feel like a trend setter…..but I'm NOT (please do not kill me for saying that) because there were others before mine like ****_Victor Hugo High_**** by JetGirl1832, which you should all read because it's awesome and JetGirl1832 is a fantastic, author!**

**Enjolras; Can we just get on with the story?!**

**Me; FINE! Kill Joy…**

**Enjolras; I heard that**

**Me; I don't care**

* * *

The café was lively with people, even in the early morning. Eponine's idea of moving meetings to the café from the cramped room at school was brilliant and everyone in Student Government thought so too. Mr. Myriel was even pleased due to the large increase in business it caused him, there were several people in the entire Student Government – consisting of various committees- plus all those that brought along friends and almost each and every one of them bought something, meaning that before the day even kicked into gear the ABC Café was brining in a lot of business.

Enjolras sat at the end of a large table close to the fire place in a separate room from the main café area, the meeting didn't start for a few more minutes and he needed that time to get organized. He appreciated all the extra space he got to himself at the café and the peace he could get before the meeting, being president of Student Government was stressful enough without having to deal with all the early morning distractions and drama. After a few minutes Combeferre popped his head into the room to tell him it was time to get started and the meeting officially began soon after.

The meeting started with Enjolras telling everyone about the agenda for the day and checking up on each committees projects and progress, after everything was in order Enjolras dismissed everyone and they all split up into their own committees to work on their own events. Enjolras and his friends were all part of the Election and Standards committee mainly but they also tended to hop around from group to group if they got bored.

"So what's the biggest news?" he asked Combeferre, the secretary

"Elections for office are in a month and a half but other than that I got nothing."

"A month and a half….that soon? I could have sworn we had more time."

Grantaire let out a loud laugh, "Why are you so worried? You're going to be reelected president, there's no doubt about that."

"Yes," chimed in Feuilly, "No one else stands a chance."

"You guys all forget that we are seniors, once this year is over I won't be here! I know the new term doesn't start until after spring break but who is going to take over?"

"Not all of us," Remarked Grantaire, "Marius is a junior and Joly is too."

"As am I," added Combeferre shyly

Enjolras sighed, "With Marius acting like he is lately I don't think he would be a very good president; if a look from one girl can cause him to go completely insane just imagine how he will act under pressure." He turned to face Combeferre straight on, "In all honesty I think you might be a good choice."

"Really?" he asked, his eyes wide with shock

"Yes, who better to run next year than the person who as acted as my second in command." Combeferre opened his mouth to say something but just then Marius walked into the room, still having that love-struck look in his eye.

"Marius you're late." Remarked Enjolras with an annoyed tone, he took StudentGov very seriously and tardiness wasn't really something he enjoyed.

"Sorry," he said as he strolled in and took a seat at the end of the table, "I was just very preoccupied this morning."

"With what? It's 6:30 in the morning!"

"Enjolras you wouldn't understand, you've never felt what it's like to be in love."

Enjolras slapped a hand to his forehead, "Love Marius? You're in love? Do you know anything about your so called 'love'? Do you even know your mystery girls name?"

"No…." Marius responded, "that's why I was busy this morning. I was trying to get a hold of…"

Enjolras cut him off, "Never the matter, we aren't here to talk about love-lives and whatnot…"

"He only says that because he doesn't have one." Whispered Grantaire to Joly, causing him to try to hold back a laugh

Enjolras glared at them both, causing them to shut up, "we are here to talk about the schools politics or more specifically today, elections for next term."

"Oh really?" asked Marius suddenly interested, "Did you guys have anyone in mind?"

"Actually yes," smirked Enjolras, "before you popped in we were all discussing Combeferre as a possible candidate, he is the best qualified."

"What about Eponine?" asked Grantaire, "She is a junior too, plus she may bring in something new and interesting as president?"

"I don't think Student Government is really her thing." Answered Courfeyrac, "Don't get me wrong she offers great insight and I love her opinion on things and her little outbursts but I don't really think she is president material."

"You don't know that." Responded Grantaire

"Think about it Grantaire, do you really think she is going to be willing to run this entire organization on her own."

"Well…"

"Speaking of Eponine," cut in Enjolras, "Where is she?"

"Yeah good question," blurted Marius as he pulled out his phone, "I've been trying to get a hold of her since yesterday afternoon but she hasn't responded. Have any of you seen her?"

They all shook their head and muttered responses consisting of 'no'. Enjolras remained silent as he looked out the window, he couldn't very well reveal that he had spent the afternoon with Eponine without getting asked and pestered about it which might ultimately lead to him slipping up and spilling her secret. He would feel horrible and she would hate him forever if he did that; plus a part of him didn't really want Marius to know either way, it was like he got pleasure from having a secret with Marius' best friend. As he looked out the window he noticed a skinny figure approaching the café.

"Speak of the devil." He said to no one in particular.

Marius ran to the window and his eyes lit up as they fell on none other than the person he had wanted to see.

Eponine trudged into the café with a heavy heart, ever step she took made her feel like anchors were attached to her legs and her heart felt like it dropped to her stomach. She opened the door to the café and saw that it was lively with people. A bit of her lit up as she realized her idea about moving the meetings was a success but it didn't really help much with her overall sorrow.

Mr. Myriel saw her and walked up to her with a warm smile on his face, "Hello Eponine, how are you this morning."

"J-just fine." She stuttered

He gave her a curious look but didn't go off anymore, "Your friends are in the side-room, you don't have to work this morning."

"But we are so busy."

"I know but it's nothing I can't handle; besides I actually need you to work this afternoon anyway, is that alright?"

She nodded, "Yep, perfect, thank you sir."

She curtsied and leapt away from him, slowly making her way to the side-room. She was happy she didn't have to work, it was not her morning and she didn't know if she could have handled all the incoming orders in her condition.

Eponine walked into the room where all her friends were and as soon as they saw her they noticed the glum look on her face and the fact that she looked very pale. She didn't meet any of their eyes and instead she kept her eyes on the floor and collapsed in the cushioned armchair in the corner of the room, dropping her books and backpack on the floor next to her. Most of the guys neared her cautiously.

"Eponine what's wrong today?" asked Courfeyrac

Joly nodded, "You look as if you've seen a ghost."

Grantaire didn't really know what to say so he just handed her a cup of coffee, "Some caffeine and say what's going on."

She just sat there for a moment looking at the floor and playing with the coffee cup in her hands before she chucked it down, forcing herself not to puke due to the taste, and quickly shook her head to snap herself out of it, "I'm fine you guys, it's nothing." She said as she hesitantly met their eyes.

Joly gave her a questionable look, "No I don't think so." He muttered before placing a hand to her forehead and cheek

She slapped it away, "Just what do you think you are doing?!"

"I just wanted to make sure you didn't have a fever."

She gave him a look that told she thought she was insane, "Um…thank you. I'm not sick if that's what you're worried about."

"You never know." He shrugged

Courfeyrac studied her carefully, "Well something is defiantly off with you, and if you aren't sick then what is it?"

"Don't fret guys, I'm fine honestly," Eponine put her head in her hands and took a deep breath, "I'm just a bit tired, didn't get much sleep last night."

"What were you up to?"Marius cut threw everyone to get to her, "I was trying to get a hold of you all of yesterday but you never answered."

"My phone battery died." She shrugged, "And I didn't get a change to plug it in until late last night. I didn't even read your messages until this morning."

"Oh." Marius sighed, a bit of relief present, "So you did get a chance to see my messages."

Her face dropped again, "Yeah, I um…saw them all."

"Great!" he exclaimed and looked over at everyone else, "Could you give us a minute?"

The guys all looked around and shrugged at each other before leaving Eponine and Marius alone, they knew the two were close and that if anyone would crack her it was him, or so they thought.

Grantaire patted her shoulder and she nodded at him in thanks as he left, she sighed before turning her face back to Marius, "What is it that you were so adamant about talking to me about yesterday?" she asked

"Well…" he began nervously, "I saw this girl last week at the game…"

"Yeah I know, I think the entire school does." She said her voice a bit icy but Marius didn't catch on.

"Well Enjolras told me that you knew who she was…."

"I know who a lot of people are."

"…..and that you might be friends with her" He added

"Just cut to the chase Marius." She said, his excess badgering only made her heart ache more

"Do you know her?"

She nodded, "Yes, her name is Cosette."

His eyes lit up, "Cosette? Oh what a beautiful name! Just like her!"

"Yeah, I thought so too." She muttered under her breath

"How close are you with her?"

She raised an eyebrow, "What does that have to do with-"

"Eponine could you talk to her for me?"

"What?" she asked, those last words really felt like a punch to her stomach, especially since she realized that he just called her Eponine not 'Ponine like he always did.

"Could you talk to her for me? Please!"

Her body stiffened, "Why? *What do I get from this*?"

"Anything!"

"Got you all excited now didn't I?" she asked, "God knows what you see in her. Got you all delighted now." She saw that Marius had fished $5 from his pocket, "No, *I'm not going to charge you*, I don't want your money."

Marius looked at her with pleading puppy eyes, "Come on 'Ponine I don't know what to say to her, I mean what if she doesn't like me?"

"Then she's not worthy of you." She sighed, "I'll see what I can do."

Marius sprang onto his feet and threw his arms around her, causing her to wince but he didn't notice, "Eponine you are the best friend anyone could ever have!"

Eponine smiled as she felt him hug her and she felt her heart soar but her face dropped soon after, he let her go but before anything else could be said Eponine stood up, "If you'll excuse me, I um….I have to….I have to go."

She sprang onto her feet, taking her bag with her and scurried to the bathroom on the other side of the café. As soon as she was in there she slid off the bag from her shoulder and turned the faucet on; she cupped her hands to gather the water and threw the icy water onto her face. After she turned off the faucet she gripped the edge of the sink and squeezed her eyes shut as it to fight and force down any emotion that seem to want to surface.

_He wasn't yours to lose Eponine!_ She told herself. _Why regret what cannot be?_

After a few more minutes she pulled herself together and walked out of the bathroom. Her heart still felt like it weighted as much as an iron brick but she had learned over the years to force it down. She turned down the hallway and was about to walk out the door when she heard someone call her. She looked at the direction of the caller to see the guys standing by the wall waving at her to come over.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked as she neared them, noticing Marius wasn't with them. They all had stern looks on their faces that gave Eponine a weird feeling.

"What's really going on?" Grantaire said bluntly

"What do you mean?"

Joly looked at her, "What we mean is what's wrong?"

She looked at them all as if they were speaking Chinese and not English, "I still don't know what you guys are asking."

Enjolras sighed, "Stop playing dumb Eponine."

"I'm not play-"

"Something was defiantly bugging you this morning and we for one would like to know what exactly it was."

"What makes you say that?"

"Oh I don't know," began Grantaire, "maybe it's because the one cheerful person in our group came in today looking like a freaking zombie!"

"Hey I'm cheerful!" chimed in Joly

"Shut up Joly this isn't about you it's about Eppy." Grantaire remarked

"Would it kill you to stop calling me Eppy!" she blurted, her boiling point reaching its maximum, "Look if you all must know I was up until 2 am last night and I have a French test third period and a Math test 7th so to say I am more than a little stressed would be a understatement." She said bitterly, it wasn't a lie she really did have all that but she wasn't going to open up to all of them about Gavroche, she just couldn't.

Combeferre sighed and smiled at her, "I know, school can be a bitch."

"Yeah no kidding." She groaned as she looked at the clock, "I have to go; there is something I need to take care of." Without another word she spun on her heel and ran off.

She needed to get out of there, while she appreciated their concern she didn't want her friends to know what was going on. They wouldn't understand, they would just pity her. Her friends were all fortunate and barley had a care in the world, they didn't know what it was like to live like she did, they didn't even know she had a brother. In all the years she'd known them the fact she had a brother just never popped up, some knew she had a sister but that was only because they had seen Azelma in school. Telling them everything would just prove to be too hard for her to do. She continued walking at a steady pace when she heard footsteps behind her, she automatically sped up.

"Eponine!" A voice behind her called

She turned around to see Enjolras jogging after her with something in his hands. She stopped walking and stood there on the sidewalk waiting for him, her arms over her chest.

"Can I help you?"

"You forgot this." He said, raising what looked like her journal.

She automatically snatched it from him, "How did you…"

"It fell out of your bag, I was just returning it."

"This couldn't wait till after school started?"

"I know how protective you are of this journal, safe to say I assume you'd feel better knowing no one else saw it."

"Did you read it?" she asked, her tone threatening

"No, didn't even open the cover."

She sighed in relief as she examined the book and stroked it with her fingers, "So you ran out here to return my journal to me?"

"Not exactly…I'm really just needed an excuse to talk to you." He stated very matter-a-factly.

"Wow way to be blunt."

"Would you prefer as anything but?"

She chuckled softly, "No not really."

"So are you going to tell me what's really wrong?" he asked sticking his hands in his pockets.

"What do you mean?"

"Eponine you hate coffee."

She raised an eyebrow, "And?"

"You chucked down Grantaire's entire cup."

"Your point?"

"Eponine…."

"Saying my name like that won't help you break me." She interrupted

He sighed sounding a bit agitated, "Will you please tell me what is bothering you so much."

"Are you going to keep pestering me until I do?"

He shrugged, "Most likely."

She rolled her eyes, "Then I might as well…after you dropped me off yesterday some….stuff happened and um, this morning my brother was missing."

Enjolras stared at her in disbelief, "Wait hold on a second, you have a brother?" She nodded "Ok," he said, not prying any further knowing she wouldn't go into detail, he was lucky she was even talking, "so you have a brother and he was gone this morning."

"Yeah, he ran away." She stated sadly as she looked at the cracks on the sidewalk and dug into her pocket, "He left me a note." She said handing him the crumpled piece of paper.

_Eponine,_

_I'm sorry but I can't stay any longer, you know why. __I love you and__I just want you to know that that's why…Please understand that….__I love you and I am sorry, don't forget that and don't worry about me, I can handle myself, I learned from the best. Tell Azelma I'm sorry too._

Enjolras read it carefully, his eyes widening as he read it over and over, "He just left like that?"

Eponine nodded, "Yeah, I guess I'm surprised it took this long."

"What do you mean?"

"He hated home, he hated the house, he hated our parents, he just hated it all. I don't find it all that surprising he ran off." She shrank down a bit, "Even I have tried before…" she muttered

"What was that?"

"N-nothing." She stammered, "Besides he wasn't mine to lose, I am sure that wherever he is he is happier than he was at home."

Enjolras leaned on the tree next to them, "You sure about that?"

"Yes, he is very charismatic and resourceful."

"Just like you." Enjolras teased

Eponine let a laugh escape through her nose and rolled her eyes, "Well we are related, but I am not nearly as good as he is."

"I know that's not true." He said making Eponine's mouth curled to a slight half-smile. They stood there awkwardly for a moment, "Want to walk to school?" he asked to break the silence.

She nodded, "Sure."

As they walked they didn't say much but the once they entered the school Eponine turned to look at Enjolras, "You know I usually don't like telling people about my life's crap and drama but it was nice to get it off my chest, thanks for listening."

"Not a problem," he responded sincerely.

Eponine felt a vibration in her phone and the memory of her errand came back to her, "If you will excuse me I have to go plan something out for Marius."

"Is that what he was talking to you about earlier today?" He asked causing her to look at him in confusion, "Cosette I mean."

Her face dropped again, leave it to Enjolras to take her from gloomy to decent, even smiling, to back to gloomy all in less than 15 minutes, "Yeah, he wants me to help him by talking to her and setting them up together."

"And you are going to do it?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, "Yep, thanks to you he knows that I know her so now he wants me to play matchmaker." She scoffed bitterly

Enjolras took a step toward her, "Eponine I'm sorry."

She shook her head at him in what looked like repugnance, "Seems like I've been told that a lot today" She mumbled before digging into her bag and pulling out his sweatshirt, "Here!" she barked as she shoved the sweatshirt into his hand and turned on her heel, leaving Enjolras alone in the hall with nothing but traces of her miserable mood.

* * *

***Dancing on the barricade due to my happiness for the reviews and whatnot, not paying attention to shippers who are ready to fire at me.**

***Enjolras wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me down just as a bullet flies past me**

**Enjolras; Are you insane you are going to get yourself killed!**

**Me; *repositioning my hat* I didn't know you cared**

**Enjolras; *Rolling his eyes and slightly blushing* I don't but your story keeps us alive so if you die so do we….**

**Grantaire *laughing as he watches us; Sure….**

**Me *rolling my eyes at him; Well my pen name is ****_Eponine_**** as is my French name**

**Grantaire; French name?**

**Me; We get to pick other names in French class to get called by; mine just happens to be Eponine. I e****ven got little combat boots and a brown skirt just beacause...**

**Enjolras; Why did I even ask if you were insane, you obviously are-**

**Me; Shut up, no one asked you Enjy**

**Enjolras; STOP CALLING ME THAT!**

**Me; Nah, I'd rather not.**

***Enjolras groans in annoyance and stomps off**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N; Hey everyone! All Les Amis are proud of me for making Enjolras show some sort of emotion last chapter in my authors notes.**

**As a side note me and my friend were discussint Les Miz and we decided that she was Cosette and I was Eponine, then we got into an argument over who was better /has better things. One point was that while she gets Marius but i get the hot guy in fanfiction, i.e Enjolras**

**Enjolras: So now I am degraded to the hot guy?**

**Me: Stop butting into my convserastion!**

***Enjolras rolls his eyes and walks away***

**Me; Anyway We finally got internet back to i can go to fanfiction as much as i want now :) I wrote up a chapter as quick as i could and i hope you like it**

**Enjolras; As quick as you could? It would have been up faster if you hadnt been procrastinating**

**Me; I was not-**

**Enjolras: *looking at me sternly*You started this yesterday at 6pm and didnt finish it will 28 hours later**

**Me: 27.5! Get it right! And I made to eat and sleep didnt I?**

**Enjolras: Would have been done sooner if you didnt go on YouTube or read other fanfictions...**

**Me: I dont recall asking for your opinion-**

**Enjolras: Or if you hadnt been working on that silly _On My Own _video-**

**Me: *pounces on his back & flings hands over his mouth* Shut it they aren't supposed to know about that yet!**

**Enjolras: *wiggling out of my grasp* Then why are you writing me saying it? !?**

**Me: Uhhhhh...ON WITH THE STORY!**

**Enjolras: Wait a minute-**

**Me: Please review and tell me what you think! :D**

* * *

Eponine stared at the clock in the hot kitchen as her fingers tapped the wooden countertop; time seemed to go by slowly and second made her colder and colder despite the heat from the oven and stove.

Her day had gone from bad to worse as it progressed. After she left Enjolras she dragged herself through the rest of the day. When she got to her locker that morning she found a note attached to it, she was surprised and even giddy when she saw it, but that only lasted until she opened it. In the envelope there was a note addressed to her from Marius along with a letter addressed to someone else.

She read the note carefully

_Eponine,_

_You are an answer to a prayer you really are! You see after talking to you this morning I thought that maybe you could help out …more. _

_Well you see I had this whole plan worked out in my head but I really need your help. I couldn't stop thinking of Cosette yesterday and I wrote this for her, could you give her this letter after you talk to her for me, but only if she likes me, please don't give it to her if she thinks I am creep, but if she does think that then put in some good words for me. _

_Eponine do this for me please, I was going to ask you in person but you took too long this morning and I don't see you till lunch if at all. PLEASE EPONINE!_

_Thanks 'Ponine_

The note itself looked like it was written in a rush, the handwriting was all messy and several words were crossed out, opposed to the letter for Cosette which looked perfect, no creases or imperfections anywhere. Eponine's heart sank as she read the note, she was really loosing Marius to Cosette and they hadn't even met yet, the thought of them actually meeting only made her heart sink more. Going into English proved to be the hardest thing she had to do; Cosette was waiting there at her usual seat next to Eponine, a giant smile on her face. Eponine slid into her seat and automatically opened her bag to look as if she was getting something, postponing talking to Cosette for as long as she could.

"Hi Eponine" Chirped Cosette happily, her pearly teeth glistening.

_So much for that…_she thought, "Hey Cosette, how are ya?"

She beamed, "Good, actually more than good I'm great!"

"Really now?" Eponine asked, grinding her teeth together a bit.

She nodded cheerfully, "Yes, I feel so giddy and happy and…"

The sound of the bell rang through the room and Eponine sighed in relief, she prayed that the teacher would start class soon and that she would give them something to work on for the entire class or lecture them on some topic that would take the entire period; she just wanted anything that would derive attention and allow her to avoid the conversation with Cosette she had been dreading. When a substitute teacher strolled into the room looking a bit nervous and unsure she felt her stomach drop, it was going to be a free period with nothing to take attention or time away from Cosette and no excuse to occupy her mind.

It took Cosette all of 5 seconds after the teacher said they had a free period to start blabbing.

"Oh Eponine, I don't even know what to think anymore. I'm usually not one to like the first guy I see, but he was really special Eppy, he really was."

"How many times am I going to have to ask you to stop calling Eppy before you actually do?"

Cosette shrugged, "I don't know, as many times as it takes for it to sink in, Eppy just suits you."

Eponine chuckled, "Does not!"

"Sure it does." She giggled, "Eppy do you think I'm pathetic for falling for a boy that I know absolutely nothing about?"

Eponine sighed, "No, I think you are just in love with love."

"Yeah I guess you are right."

"I try." She paused a bit before going on, "Cosette, this boy that you saw at the game Friday…."

At that moment Cosette's eyes turned wide and hope filled her eyes, "Yes?"

"Did he have dark curly hair, blue eyes, and lots of freckles…..."

"Super cute, tall and the most soothing voice?" Added Cosette

Eponine looked at her a bit awkwardly and just gave her a slight nod, "Yeah let's go with that."

"That describes him perfectly!" She grinned before she dropped her mouth in shock, "Do you know him?"

"Well I might-"

"Oh my gosh Eponine you know him don't you!" She cut in, her hands flying to Eponine's desk and shaking it about like she was a 5 year old who wanted a new doll. "What's his name? Is he as nice as I think he is? Does he like me too? How do you know him?" she asked all at once.

"Whoa!" Eponine exclaimed raising her hands to her chest as a sign to calm Cosette down, "One question at a time."

Cosette backed off and looked down a bit in shame. "Sorry."

"His name is Marius."

Cosette looked up timidly, "What?"

"His name is Marius Pontmercy." Eponine repeated, feeling hope leave her body, "He is a junior, and he is really sweet."

"Really? Tell me more!" she pleaded.

"Well, he uh…." The letter in Eponine's pocket weighted 100Ibs but she still reached for it, her fingers burning as they grasped the paper, "…he asked me to give this to you." She said a bit glumly as she handed Cosette the letter.

Cosette's face lit up even more than Eponine thought was humanly possible as she read the letter; while she was happy for her friend she also felt a jab to her heart with each increasing smile.

"Oh Eponine, he likes me too! Can you believe it?"

"Oh I believe it alright." She grumbled

A thought hit Cosette as soon as finished reading the letter, "Do you see Marius often?"

"I guess, why?"

Cosette didn't answer instead she took out a pink pen and a piece of paper and began writing away, her penmanship looking flawless and perfect. When she was finished she inspected her letter carefully and smiled.

"If it isn't too much to ask, could you please give this to Marius?"

Eponine bit her lip; _Yes it is too much to ask! It hurts to do it, don't you understand that! Don't do it Eponine you are only going to hurt yourself worse… _"Of course, it's not a problem." She mentally slapped herself, _Dammit!_

Cosette opened her mouth but no words came out, instead she hugged Eponine tightly and grinned. "You are the most amazing friend anyone could ask for!"

Eponine gasped, "I- Can't- Breath!"

Cosette let go, "Oh sorry…"

"It's fine." Eponine replied, shrugging it off. The next moment the bell rang and before Cosette could even process anything Eponine was out of her seat and by the door. "I'll catch you later, and I'll make sure he gets the letter."

Cosette was about to say something but Eponine didn't stay long enough to hear it, she couldn't face it. The rest of the day was alright, she didn't see any one of importance and for the time being she was able to put aside the thoughts of, well everything. No Gavroche, no Marius, no Cosette, nothing. For that short amount of time she could forget about it all.

Then came lunch, she automatically knew she was going to the auditorium, if she saw Marius he would pester her with questions and talk about his beloved and that's something she wanted to hold off as long as she possibly could. As soon as she entered the dark room of the auditorium everything hit her, all the pain of the day and of her life. She slowly made her way up the stairs to the piano but on the last step she tripped over her feet and fell face first onto the floor, luckily her arm broke the fall and she avoided a broken nose. Eponine yelped in pain as her body made contact with the black floor of the stage and her things spilled out of her messenger bag. She pushed herself up and sat on top of her legs, for a moment she just sat there forcing back tears that were threatening to spill over. She came back to her senses and started gathering her things, stuffing them back into her bag with anxiety. The last thing that caught her eye was her journal, it was open to the page where she had written her last poem, she sat back down and silently read it, smiling at first but when she got the last line realization struck her, out of instinct she took a black pen out of her pocket and began writing away the lines in her head. She never opened up to anyone about her personal problems, she preferred being on her own, but writing in her journal allowed her to avoid keeping it all blocked up and concealed, it was her form of venting. After she finished the last line a tear escaped her eye and she collapsed against the wall of the stage, bringing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She sat there for awhile completing her situation before she pulled herself together.

_Snap of it Eponine! You are acting like a child! You're being pathetic…._Without another thought she picked herself up and swung her bag unto her shoulder, _Why regret what cannot be….it won't do you any good._

She quickly scurried off the stage and headed for the door, wiping her eyes as she went. She walked down the empty halls of the music wing, feeling both thankful and internally sad at being alone once more. As soon as she thought that the bell rang and the halls filled with people hurrying to get to their next class. Eponine tried to weave through the crowd, avoiding looking at anyone, the hall was full of people now but it was full of strangers and she still felt alone.

Gym proved to be even worse; she took her time changing into gym clothes and slowly made her way to the gymnasium but either way she still had to face Marius.

He was waiting by her spot, looking like he was ready to pounce on her as soon as she walked in. His eyes were full of hope and he had a spring to his step as he ran to her. While Eponine was heartbroken at losing him she wanted him to be happy, and apparently he was.

"Eponine did you talk to her?"

"Huh?"

"Cosette, did you talk to Cosette?"

She hesitated a bit, "Well um….ya….I um…"

"Does she like me? Does she think I'm a creepy? Please tell me Eponine!"

Eponine tried to look at something, anything that would distract her so she wouldn't have to look Marius in the eye, but all she could find was the wall.

"Well she….well she"

"Yes?" he asked excitedly, tugging on her shoulder and his eyes wide like a puppy.

She sighed, "She thinks you're cute and sweet."

"Seriously?"  
"Yep" Eponine bit the corner of her lip before handing him the paper she had been holding, "she asked me to give this to you."

Marius' mouth gapped open and he took the letter out of Eponine's shaking hand. As he read the letter more and more light filled his eyes and he looked like he had just received a gift from heaven. Before she knew it Marius threw his arms around Eponine and lifted her as he spun in a circle.

"Eponine I can't thank you enough!" He finally put her down and smiled at her. "You are the best friend I could ever ask for. You have no idea how I feel!"

"Nor do you." She mumbled as he went back to his letter.

After that the rest of the day was kind of a haze, all that she knew was that she now was standing here in the café with nothing to do. When she first walked in for her shift she was a little confused as to why Mr. Myriel would want her in the afternoon when there was hardly anyone vs. earlier that morning when the place was crazy busy, the afternoon was so quiet that he probably could have handled it without anyone coming in at all. Apparently Mr. Myriel had an appointment he had to go to so he needed Eponine to watch the shop while he was out. In all honesty she was actually very happy with the arrangement, she was left alone and there was no one to bother or distract her, it provided for much needed relaxation. However after about an hour relaxation left and boredom set in.

She turned her back to the door and reached down into her bag to see if she could find anything to do when the door opened.

"Hello! ...Hello? Well that's odd," said a familiar voice, "the door says open but there is no one here."

An idea popped into Eponine's head and she crouched lower behind the counter and began to crawl, an evil smirk on her face; she had a crappy day, why not lighten it up?

"Are you sure?" asked another voice, "There has to be someone."

"Well I don't see anyone."

"But then why would the sign say open if-"

"BOO!" Eponine shouted as she pounced on Grantaire's back, causing him to stumble around the room like a drunk.

"AHH!" They both shouted, their hearts skipping a beat and then racing faster than ever.

"Ha got ya!" she exclaimed happily, still clung unto Grantaire.

"What the hell Eponine!?" shouted Joly

She giggled, "Hehe I just wanted to have some fun."

Grantaire turned his head back to try to look at her but it proved to be easier said than done, "Well I am glad you cheered up. I honestly thought you were the walking dead this morning."

"Scaring you guys can lighten anyone's mood."

"Scared?" scoffed Joly, "Who said we were scared, we weren't." Eponine raised an eyebrow at him, "Ok maybe you scared us a bit."

"Yes, victory!" She cheered as fist pumped with one hand and wrapped the other around Grantaire's neck to keep her from falling.

The door opened again and more of their friends poured into the café. They looked at the scene in front of them in confusion, Eponine had their back to them and they didn't know she was the one on Grantaire.

"Wow boys what's this I see?" asked Marius, causing them to turn to face him. He shook his head and smiled as soon as he took in the whole scene, "God Eponine the things you do."

"What can't a girl get piggy back rides these days?"

"Piggy back rides?" Enjolras asked in suspicion

Grantaire nodded, playing along, "Yeah, just because we are in high school doesn't mean we can't still have some fun." He said as he put his hands under Eponine's knees and starting jogging around the café, Eponine laughed and held on tighter.

"I swear those two are as strange as they come…." Joly said off-handily.

"I couldn't agree more." Combeferre added.

Enjolras sighed, "But they are our friends nonetheless, as strange as they may be."

"Remind me again why we are friends with them?" joked Feuilly.

"Don't ask me about Grantaire because I don't know," stated Enjolras, "but I think our friendship Eponine was all Marius' fault."

At that point Grantaire had gotten tired and gently bent down to allow Eponine to hop off his back and the two began laughing so hard their sides hurt.

"Hard to believe she was in such a sour mood this morning." Commented Combeferre

"Well she did do both the test that were stressing her out before, I guess the tension ended when they did." Responded Marius, who like many was completely oblivious to her true setbacks

"Yeah sure…." Enjolras stated bitterly but no one taking note of his tone.

Eponine finally composed herself and stood up straight, she walked over to the group and took out her small notebook from her apron and a pencil from behind her ear. "Gotta love piggy back rides, anyway what can I get you guys?"

"Well waitress," began Combeferre, "I'll have a double espresso with extra foam."

"I'll have a medium tea with honey." Added Joly, "And a muffin on the side."

Grantaire went next, "A large coffee with a shot of espresso and make it dark, almost black."

"Nothing for me Eponine." Stated Marius as he went to the back table of the side room, he was going too be busy writing to eat or drink.

"Enjy what would you like?" she asked

He narrowed his eyes at her, "For you stop calling me Enjy," he stated, "and two medium hot chocolates."

She giggled, "Coming right up." She stated as she stuck the pencil in her hair and hopped to get back to the kitchen, however she didn't see the chair right next to her until she tripped over it. She stumbled a bit and finally found herself face first with the wall.

"Argh!" she yelped in pain, "Dammit!" She exclaimed her hand flew to her throbbing nose.

"Eponine, language! This a family place." Scowled Grantaire, resulting in Eponine's notebook flying toward him and hitting square in the face, he looked at her with a smile, "You have a good arm Eppy, ever think about going pro?"

Eponine rolled her eyes at him before the pain from her nose kicked in again.

"You ok?" asked Joly

Eponine winced, "Yea just peachy."

"Your nose is bleeding."

"Oh is it?" she asked as she took the tip of her sleeve and brought it up to her nose. She dabbed her nose and looked back at the sleeve, "Oh I guess I am…..Ok I'm just gonna go back and fix myself up and get those orders." She said

"Take your time." Joly called as she walked off.

Enjolras looked off as she went to the back room of the café, something about her dabbing her nose rang a bell to him and he looked down at the sweatshirt he was wearing, it was the one he had loaned Eponine the day before, he couldn't help but notice a tiny stain on the top of his sleeve….

No sooner did the door to the back close than did the front door open and Courfeyrac appeared in the doorway looking a bit nervous.

"Hey Courfeyrac," greeted Grantaire, "why the long face?"

Courfeyrac gulped before approaching the rest of his friends, "I need your guy's help on something…"

"What is it?" asked Joly, "You sick?"

"Joly not every problem we encounter is caused by a virus." Stated Enjolras in annoyance before turning back to Courfeyrac, "So what's wrong?"

"Eponine's not in here is she?"

"No, why are you asking?"

"Well you see this morning I happened to find a surprise and that surprise happened to be…."

He didn't get a chance to finish for in that moment a little figure bursted into the room.

"Gavroche what are you doing here?!" he exclaimed wide-eyed.

Enjolras was dumbstruck and he turned to face the little boy, "Wait, you're Eponine's brother?"

"What?!" everyone yelled at once. Enjolras automatically motioned for all of them to calm down and tried to explain what he knew but it was then that they all heard a clatter of cups and turned to see Eponine frozen there in disbelief. Her hands were shaking and her mouth was gapping open.

Courfeyrac slowly got up, "Hiya Eppy….let me explain, you see this morning I found Gavroche on my doorstep…." He once again didn't finish because the next thing he knew Eponine's face scrunched up and she lunged for him. "SHIT!" he yelled as he tried to get away from her.

The rest of the guys sprang into action and tried to hold her back but she was tiny and easily weaved through them and got past.

"Eponine stop!" yelled Gavroche but she didn't listen

Courfeyrac tried to run but they were inside and he was out of options. Finally he decided to stop being a coward and to face Eponine head on.

Eponine took Gavroche by the back of his collar and Courfeyrac by front of his shirt. "You boys have got some explaining to do." She growled.

Gavroche went first, "Eponine I couldn't stay and you know that….not after what happened."

Eponine brought Gavroche close to her face, "Did you tell him what happened?" she whispered.

Gavroche shook his head, "No, I know how it goes." He said sadly

Eponine's face soften, "Good boy."

"He's not a dog you know." Courfeyrac blurted absent-mindedly, regretting it almost instantly.

"Yes I know." She stated bitterly, "So Gavroche ran to you?"

"Yes." He responded nervously

"And you just took him in?"

"Yes."

Eponine half-smiled and sighed, "Please take care of my brother, if anything was to happen to him I would die."

Courfeyrac chuckled, "You have my word."

"And mine." Stated Grantaire

"Mine too." Added Enjolras, "We all love Gavroche, he will always have somewhere to turn." He assured.

She smiled, "Good to know." She looked over each of them, "Just fyi, if anything happens to Gavroche, like he has to sleep in a park bench or goes hungry I am going to wring all your necks and make sure you will never be able to reproduce. Got it?"

"Eponine I can take care of myself."

"Got it?" she repeated more forcefully this time.

"Got it." They all responded

She nodded her head once and bent down to pick up the tray and clean up all the drinks only to see some of the other guys helping her.

"You don't have to do that." She said

"We know but we want to." Shrugged Grantaire, "And it I may ask, why didn't you ever tell us Gavroche was your brother, or that you even had one." He asked as he placed a cup on the tray.

She shrugged, "It just never popped up."

"Well I must say that this does explain a lot." Said Joly

She finally gathered everything up and was about to go back to the kitchen when Marius finally decided to show up again.

He looked around the room in confusion, "What-"

"It's better that you not ask." Stated Enjolras, cutting him off

"Never the matter." He said as he brought the letter he was holding up to his face and ran toward Eponine, "Eponine could you take this letter to Cosette?"

"Why don't you just talk to her?" she said annoyed, "You know she likes you."

"I know, but she said in her letter that he liked love letters, I think she would really like it." He looked at her again with the wide-eyes that Eponine could never resist. "Please Eponine, you are my best friend."

She sighed, "Your wish is my command."

He smiled widely at her response and placed the letter in the pocket of her apron, "Thank you Eponine! I can't thank you enough."

"Don't mention it." She nodded as she pushed the door to the kitchen open and stepped in, _Please don't._

* * *

**Enjolras: You can't just leave them hanging**

**Me: I can do whatever I want, its my fanfiction and I am an independent, strong women!**

**Enjolras: More like crazy teenager!**

**Me: Shut up E-**

**Enjolras: *covers my mouth with his hand* I swear if you call me that one more time,I will-**

***I narrow my eyes at him and lick his hand***

**Enjolras: *Draws his hand back in disgust* Did you seriously just LICK ME!**

**Me: Teach you to cut me off...ENJY!**

**Enjorlas: Of all the crazy fanfiction authors out there why did I have to get suck with you!?**

**Me: When you get a blessing you dont ask why it was sent.**

**Enjolras: How the hell are you a blessing?!**

**Me: Why does everyone like you better than Marius if you are so stoic and boring!?**

***Enjolras opens mouth to say something but nothing comes out***

**Me: Ha victory!**

**(A/N; If you guys are actually interested in the video I am working on just say so in a review or PM me and i will give you more info on it) I know everyone thought Grantaire or Enjolras would be the one who had Gavroche and originally it was going to be Grantaire but after seeing the movie i just couldnt resist Courferyrac...sorry**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N; I have officially ****_con-Tammy-nated_** **my friends and family (if any of you care that's a pun on my name that my family came up with –it's not the name on my birth certificate but that's all you are getting out of me). **

**Today at Pep Band me and my buddy started singing ****_Do You Hear The People Sing_**** and two other people joined us and we were belting it out in the middle of the cafeteria, and then me and my other friends started singing ****_On My Own_**** while the other two sang ****_Bring Him Home._**** Not only that but my close friends used to tease me for liking ****_Les Misèrables_**** so much but she saw the movie (par my suggestion) and she LOVES it! I got a convert! YIPPIE!**

**Courfeyrac; Oh no her insanity is spreading!**

***I stick my tongue out at him**

**Enjolras: Very mature**

**Me: Oh whatever, we cant all act like statues like you Enjy**

**Enjolras: Would it kill you to stop calling me that?**

**Me: Would it kill Patria to see you fall in love with a girl?**

**Enjolras: Dont bring Patria into this!**

**Me; too late**

***contintue to fight (its so much fun to push his buttons)**

**Anyway, I have to tell you all that I'm not sure how much more I will be updating in the near future, my life's been hectic (like hell-like hectic, like I feel like my world is crumbling...) and lent is coming up- this year I'm giving up ****_Les Misèrables and Phantom of the Opera_****, its gonna be hard but I'm doing it- so sorry in advanced for that, I will try to update as much as I can before Valentine's Day but no promises.**

**Anyway this isnt one of my best chapters, in fact i dont really like it but I'm kinda stuck and i saw no other way to move along with the story. **

**Please review!**

* * *

Eponine walked into the classroom with a heavier heart than usual. For the past week she had been either playing messenger for Cosette and Marius or avoiding her friends all together, but it was hard considering she was in their classes. As she stepped into English she saw Cosette smiling at her, completely oblivious to the pain that was Eponine was going through her. Although Cosette was a main cause for her pain, she couldn't stay mad at her, it wasn't her fault. She sat down in her normal seat next to her and felt yet another letter burn a hole in the pocket of her sweater.

"I have a present for you." She said, her hand reaching down into her pocket.

"Is it a letter?" Cosette asked lightheartedly

Eponine brought the envelope in front of her face, "No it's a check. Of course it's a letter!"

Cosette blushed, "Sorry, I'm still getting used to the whole thing."

"Cosette why don't you just talk to the guy? You know he likes you, it's only a matter of time before the letters get old."

"I know but I just don't know what to say to him."

"Say what you write in your letters, it can't be much different. Either way whatever pours out will come from your heart."

"Do you really think that's a good idea?"  
"I know it is." _For your sake and my mine_

"Ok….but not yet."

"Cosette…."

"Just give me time."

"Fine" Eponine groaned. She was fairly pissed off, the longer Cosette and Marius stayed at the letter level the longer she had to act as a messenger and fell her heart rip open each time anew. She wished she could tell them how she felt, or that they would realize how much it hurt her but she knew that could never happen. Some things were meant to be and some weren't.

The girls turned their attention back to the teacher and her lesson; it was something about rhetorical strategies. Eponine found it very boring and found her loosing attention and drabbling things in her journal, the next thing she knew her teacher was at her desk.

"Oh hi Mr. Kretzmer." She said as she glanced up at him.

"Eponine" He nodded as he slid an essay on her desk and went onto the next student.

Eponine bit down on her lip as she timidly lifted the paper and looked down at her grade.

"How did you do?" asked Cosette as she leaned over to look at her essay.

"No too well." She sighed as she showed Cosette her paper, a giant red C was prevalent at the top of her paper and with it came a frown on Eponine's face.

Things didn't really get much better; in French class Eponine got her test back and saw that she bombed that too.

"This isn't like you Eponine." Commented Mr. Hugo grimly as he handed her back her test.

"I know I'm sorry Mr. Hugo, I'm sure I will do better next time."

When the teacher left Eponine turned her attention back to the window, with everything going on in her life school had taken second and her grades were showing just that. The bell rang and she glumly picked up her things and headed out the door. She ran over to her locker and quickly threw her things in, irritation behind every shove.

"Angry much?" said a voice behind her

Eponine turned and saw none other than Enjolras leaning on the locker next to hers.

"Oh no, not at all" She said sarcastically as she threw the last thing into her locker and slammed it shut.

"What's got you so pissed off?" he asked as they walked toward the cafeteria.

"Stuff" she shrugged

"What kind of stuff?"

"Just stuff"

Just then she spotted Marius out of the corner of her eye at the same time he saw her. He rushed over to her with a broad smile on his face.

"Did you give her the letter?" he asked as he took her hands in his

She rolled her eyes, "I gave it to her the past three times so why would this be any different?"

"Oh Eponine you know I kid."

"Sure," she muttered as her hand reached into her bag, "anyway I gave her the letter and as you can guess she gave me th-" before she could finish Marius snatched the letter from her hand and walked off as he tore the envelope open, "oh sure be that way." She muttered. Enjolras placed a hand on her shoulder but she instinctively shrugged it off.

The three sat down at a table and while Marius was off in Cosette-land, Enjolras could feel a lot of tension on Eponine's part as she stared at Marius with an expression full of disappointment, anger, and pain.

"So by stuff did you mean Operation Matchmaker?"

She glared at him, "For your information no, I have some other stuff bugging me too."

"Would you like to elaborate?"

"Not particularly, but you will pester me till I do so I might as well."

"Aren't you a smart one?"

"Well that's the problem," she muttered, "I'm not/"

"What do you mean?"

She bit her lip again and looked down at her shoes in shame. After a moment she dug out her English essay and French test from her bag and handed them to Enjolras.

"Oh." He muttered

"Yep,"

"How long have you been struggling?"

"A few weeks," she admitted, "with everything going on I haven't really been able to focus in class. And I just can't find time to relearn what I missed, which makes the new stuff even more complicated for my liking."

"That's understandable." He reassured

"I wish the teachers felt the same as you."

"Feel the same about what?" asked Grantaire as he and two others neared the table.

"Leniency in grades" Eponine answered

"Tell me about it!" exclaimed Grantaire, "Mr. Mackintosh chews me out for just about everything and he shows absolutely no mercy! I have a C- in his class"

"You know," commented Combeferre, "you might get a decent grade if you actually tried in class and didn't slack or goof off."

"Where's the fun in that?"

Eponine giggled at them as they continued talked then she looked over at Enjolras who gave her a small shrug as if he didn't know what yo make of it.

He looked at her again as if she was a textbook, "All you really need is a good tutor." He mused

"Do you know of any?" she asked in a mocking tone.

Enjolras pondered for a moment before an idea entered his mind, "Actually yes, I think there is one that would be a good fit."

"Keep in mind that they would have to teach me, I'm not the most…..likeable student."

"Give yourself some credit Eppy." Grantaire said as he reentered the conversation, "We all like you." He said as he threw his arm around her.

"Thank you for that." She looked back at Enjolras, "So how soon can the tutor start?"

"I think he is available today after school in the library if that's ok with you."

"Fine with me" She shrugged, "I'm not working today."

Enjolras nodded in understanding and then turned back to his own work while the others got into a discussion over whether or not a tomato was a fruit. After a few minutes the constant chatter was getting to him and he finally had enough and left the cafeteria to study someplace that would allow him to focus.

Out of the blue Marius came to and looked over at Eponine, "'Ponine could you please help me with something?"

"Sure what is it?"

"Could you read this letter over, I want your opinion on it before I give it to Cosette."

She hesitated, "Why do you want my opinion?"

"Well I just want a girl's opinion on it and you're kind of…"

"Excuse me?!" she asked, offended at his comment

He turned red, "That's not what I meant. I simply meant that you are the most feminine out of all of my friends so you can give me the best input."

Eponine still had a look of offense on her face but she shook it off and snatched the letter from Marius hand to read it over. Her heart fell with ever word he wrote but she had to admit it was beautiful. She finished reading it and handed it back to him.

"It was beautiful Marius, any girl who reads it will fall in love with you."

"You didn't." joked Grantaire

Eponine chuckled, but it was a dry and sad one, "No I guess I didn't." she glanced over at the clock, "I have to go meet with a teacher." She lied as she slipped out of her seat and ran out of the cafeteria.

She sprinted out of the lunchroom and down the hall to the auditorium; as soon as she was in there she ran up to the stage and collapsed against the back wall. It was becoming a customary habit but she started minding less and less. After a moment she slowly walked over to the piano bench and sat down, her fingers ghosting over the keys. She hummed a little tune before playing it. Once she played it she remembered something she wrote in her journal a few nights ago and pulled it out.

"If only you could know, the things I long to say," she sang as she continued playing, "If only I could tell you what I wish I could convey. It's in my every glance, my heart's an open book, you'd see it all at once if only you would look….if only you could glimpse the feelings that I feel, if only I could tell you what I'm dying to reveal. The dreams I can't declare, the needs I can't deny, you'd understand them all if only you would try…..If only it were true, if only for a while, if only you would notice how I ache behind my smile. I guess you never will, I guess I doesn't show…oh what I would give if only you could know."

With each word Eponine felt more and more pain escape her and eventually a tear escaped as well. _If only_, she though.

Little did she notice that her place of sanctuary was occupied by not one but two people; Erik sat in box five and saw the entire thing but he also notice what Eponine failed to, in the audience seats there was someone who watched her sing with something Erik could only describe as admiration and something else, whether it be pity or empathy or pain he did not know, but he knew that whatever it was, he knew it was something.

_If only you knew_, Erik thought, _if only you knew._

* * *

Eponine now found herself at the entrance of the library, anxious to meet her new tutor but also anxious to just get it over with. Her day had gotten even worse after lunch as Marius gave her yet another letter and she still couldn't find it within herself to refuse, his smile was enough to persuade her.

She slowly walked over to the back table of the library and took a seat in one of the cushioned armchairs by the giant windows. She found that spot to be very peaceful and she found she wanted nothing more than to sit there forever and forget everything.

He heard a throat clear behind her followed by a voice she recognized, "Eponine Thenardier?"

She turned in her chair to see her tutor eye to eye only to be met with a face she had seen more than enough times.

"I'm your new tutor."

* * *

**In other news Grantaire is pissed at me because I had Courfeyrac take Gavroche instead of him, he even had a little room ready….**

**Grantaire; I have good reason to be mad! I was cheated out of the plot line!**

**Me; Oh get over it wine-cask!**

**Grantaire: Only Enjolras can call me that**

**Me (tugging at the red vest I'm wearing): Well I am wearing his vest so in essence….**

**Joly: Wait! How did you get a hold of that?**

**Me (smirking): Well me and Enjy-**

**Combeferre: Enjolras and I**

**Me: SHUT IT! Anyway, we were bickering**

**Grantaire: Suprise suprise...**

**Me; WILL YOU LET ME FINISH!**

***Everyone is silent**

**Me: Anyway as i was saying we were bickering and eventually we somehow placed a bet.**

**Grantaire: What kind of bet?**

**Me; Well I can't really get into details but if I lost then I had to stop calling him Enjy but if he lost then he had to cough over his red vest. I assume you can all guess who won.**

**Courfeyrac: And he agreed to that?**

**Me; It was that or having the loser kiss Grantaire…fair to say he preferred the former, I did too.**

**Grantaire; What's that supposed to mean?**

**Me; Nothing, nothing at all**

**Combeferre: Wow, you actually got in his head, nice job!**

**Me (bowing): Why thank you!**

**Grantaire: So where is Enjolras anyway?**

**Me (shrugging): I don't know, wallowing in self pity? He's a sore loser.**

**Enjolras: I resent that!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Thanks to everyone for your lovely reviews, i really appreciate them :D**

**Phangirl2017; Yes, i wont be updating after Valentine's Day until Easter...sorrry about that**

**Thespian24601 & Dark Lady of Insanity; Guess who was right about Eponine's tutor?**

**Allynn11: Thank you for noticing the Little Mermaid referance in the last chapter, here's a cookie (::). I loved that musical and especially that song so i thought 'why not add it in?"**

**For furture referance, i like to add little nods to other musicals and little things from here and there so if you see anything worth mentioning or any referances, tell me and i will give you TWO cookies :D**

**Thanks again, please continue to review (32 chapter for a kiss if you dont ;D)**

* * *

"I'm your new tutor."

Eponine stared at the familiar face with disbelief; when Enjolras said he knew a perfect tutor for her she had no idea who it could be and of all people this person was the last she expected to see.

_No, Montparnasse would have last person I would have expected to see._

She was shocked to see the guy standing before her. She just sat there with her mouth open and her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"I see that you're a bit surprised."

Eponine stuttered, "Y-yea little bit. You weren't kidding when you said you knew someone who would be able to deal with my snarky-ness."

"Who better than me?" he asked nonchalantly, he looked over her unbelieving expression with question, "Is this really that bad of a surprise?"

She giggled, "No, I'm just shocked that you found the time to do this."

He shook his head, "I always have time to help a friend in need."

"And football?"

"Season ended last Friday."

"Speech?"

"We don't meet on Wednesdays." He said as he picked out a table nearby and pulled out a chair for him and one for her.

"Saving disabled puppies from fires?" She asked as she slid into the seat next to him.

A giant smile spread across Enjolras face, "I only do that on the weekends."

"Well then I guess I'm in luck."

"I guess you are."

She started digging through her backpack when something struck her and she looked over her shoulder, "So let me ask you something."

"Alright, go ahead."

"Of all things you could do in your free time, why are you wasting with me?"

"You're not a waste of time." He stated plainly

"It's nice of you to say that."

"I mean it."

"And the fact that tutoring looks good on a college application has nothing to do with this?"

Enjolras looked offended for a moment but he quickly brushed it off, "It doesn't hurt….but I would have done it either way."

"You mean that?"

"Would I lie?"

"No…" Eponine muttered and smiled as she felt her wall slowly start to come down.

"So what do you want to work on first?" he asked as he took out a notebook

"Oh, um….how about French?"

"Sounds good to me, what unit are you guys on?"

"Chapter 5 lesson 3, we are working on the comparative and the superlative."

"Ok well-"

"Be warned that I need a lot of help."

"I'm sure you are smarter than you give yourself credit for."

"You really think that?" she asked sardonically

Enjolras nodded and with that the two got to work. At first it was a bit of a rough start, Eponine did struggle a bit on the work and the added fact that she had the need to rant on the school system ever few minutes didn't help but Enjolras had to admit that he actually liked her views and complaints, it was a view that he hadn't really seen before. After they actually got on course however it was only a matter of time before Eponine found that she understood the material and everything started to click. There were some things that were still fuzzy in her mind but in total she got what she needed. They both found that there were also enjoying the time together, before either of them realized it an hour and a half pasted and the library was almost empty.

Eponine glanced up at the clock and felt her heart drop, "Oh no…"

"What is it?"

"It's almost 5pm, I need to head home." She said as she quickly gathered her things and turn to walk out the door.

Enjolras stood and caught up with her, "Do you want a ride?"

"No it's fine…."

"Are you planning on walking?"

She stopped dead in her tracks. "Maybe…."

"Then I am giving you a ride."

"No but-"

He put a hand up to silence her, "No buts, what kind of friend would I be if I let you walk home and freeze."

"Fine" she grumbled as she followed him out the door and into his car

As they drove off Enjolras couldn't help but notice the irritation on Eponine's face.

"Don't look so cheerful now."

She rolled her eyes, "I'm sorry, I just don't like being looked at like a charity case."

"You're not a charity case Eponine. Sometimes people just like being nice."

"Well I haven't exactly dealt with a lot of those people."

"You deal with me." He said off-handily

"Very funny, am I still supposed to assume that you are doing this out of the goodness of your heart and nothing else?"

Enjolras glanced over at her with a concerned look on his face, "Have you really been shown so little kindness that you question every act of it?"

Eponine fell silent and bit down on her lip, her teeth tugging at it as she focused her attention out the window. Although he would never admit it, Enjolras had to admit it was a cute habit.

"Would you like to change the subject?" he asked

"Yes please." She said timidly

"Alright, how is Gavroche doing?"

Eponine smiled at the mention of her brother, "Last I saw him was yesterday evening but Courfeyrac tells me that he is doing well. His family has welcomed him with open arms and he is better taken care of than ever." She turned her head to look at Enjolras, "I'm really happy that he is ok, it makes me feel better."

"I'm glad to hear that."

They finally pulled into Eponine's driveway and to both their reliefs the driveway was empty and there didn't seem to be anyone in the house.

"Looks like you won't have to kidnap me again."

"Good," he teased, "I don't know how much more of you I could take before I explode."

"Oh shut up." She said as she playfully hit his shoulder. "Have a good night Enj."

"Enj? What happened to Enjy?"

"I thought you didn't like it."

"I don't…. but I got used to it."

"All the more reason for me to stop calling you that"

"You like pushing my buttons don't you?"

"It's entertaining." She shrugged as she opened the car door and slid out, "Night Enjy."

He laughed softly, "Night 'Ponine."

He watched her walked up to her door and waited till she was safely inside her house before he drove off.

* * *

Eponine entered the house with a smile on her face, as much as Enjolras tended to annoy her, he also had a tendency to make her laugh and smile. However as soon as she passed the living room window she noticed a car pull into the driveway. She recognized the worn out car immediately and her smile faded.

"Montparnasse" she snarled and stepped out into the front patio to meet him.

In no time at all he was out of his car and strolled up to her, "Why hello 'Ponine, how are you?"

"I was fine."

"You _were?_"

She wasted no time, "What do you want Montparnasse? Father isn't even home."

"I just wanted to talk to you. It's been ages since we talked."

"I liked it that way."

"Well I didn't." He puffed on the cigarette in his hand before sticking behind his ear

Just then Eponine's phone buzzed in her pocket and reached down for it.

"Excuse me," she said with a snarl as she turned on her heel, "but I have other things I need to take care of."

He glared at her, "How long do you plan on pretending 'Ponine?"

She stopped in her tracks, "What are you talking about?"

"You and I both know that it's only a matter of time before all those 'friends' of yours grow tired of you, or see you for what you are."

"You're wrong, my friends care about me…."

"For how long? Things might be nice now but they will always see a girl who is beneath them, a girl who can never be anything more to them then someone who is just there."

Her expression turned deadly, "You don't know anything!" she yelled as she slammed the door on his face.

"I know a lot more than you think." He said maliciously as he walked back to his car.

Eponine bolted the door and stomped to her room, her anger swelling. _Montparnasse doesn't know anything, my friends love me….I think._ She sighed and collapsed on her bed, thanks to Enjolras she now had a substantially less mountain of homework she had to complete. With nothing to do she just laid there on her bed and stared at the ceiling. She studied each stain and crack, and the little glow-in-the-dark stars she stuck on back when she was 10.

She remembered that one of the last things her dad did with her and her siblings when she was little was take them out on a hill at night at go star-gazing. She remembered lying on her back and having her papa point out all the constellations, telling them the stories he knew and making up ones for those he didn't. It was back when she felt that her father actually loved them and saw them as something other than a tax deductable. But that had been a long time ago and even then things were still taking a turn for the worse. After everything crumpled and they ended up moving she noticed Azelma looking out the window as she unpacked their bags.

"I miss him Eponine."

"Huh?"

"I miss papa."

"Azelma he's right over-"

"I miss the papa we used to have: the one who loved us and took us out to see the stars. It's the stars I miss the most."

"Me too…" Eponine mumbled under her breath. Stars were the one thing that never changed, for better or for worse the stars stayed the same. It was the only thing that stayed pretty in her life.

The next day Eponine used the two dollars she found in her pants pocket while unpacking and went out to but a packet of star stickers for the ceiling, it wasn't the same but hopefully it would be enough. The light she saw in Azelma's eyes when she saw the newly decorated ceiling was all the thanks she needed, it always has been. Even in present day the lights she saw in people's eyes gave her rewards that were priceless.

A vibration in her pocket brought her back to reality.

_Enjolras; Hey E, are you coming to the meeting tomorrow?_

Eponine smiled as she rolled onto her stomach and texted back: _Yep, someone's got to keep you boys in line. Why do you ask?_

_Enjolras: Grantaire wanted to know._

_Ok, see you guys tomorrow._

Eponine sat up in her bed, Montparnasse and her father might think her friends didn't care about her but she knew they did, and that's all she needed to know.

* * *

The café was lively once again as the Student Government meeting was talking place. Enjolras stood at the end of a giant table, looking over all everything when he heard his friends come into the room.

"Morning Enjolras," greeted Courfeyrac

"Couf" He acknowledged, "how is Gavroche doing?"

"Just fine, he is a 10 year old kid so he can get a little annoying but he's great."

"Glad to hear that, Eponine would ring your neck otherwise."

"Yes I'm well aware of that."

Grantaire looked up from his phone for the first time that morning, "Speaking of Eponine, where is she?"

The two boys shrugged when just then the girl in question entered the café.

"Found her." Muttered Courfeyrac

Eponine walked toward the back room but before she could enter she bumped into someone and paused to apologize. However instead of being a quick 2 second interaction they all noticed that the guy she bumped into placed a hand on her elbow and talk to her. At first Eponine looked a little repulsed but after a second her cheeks deepened a shade of pink and she was biting her lip to force back a smile. The two were talking for a few more moments and Enjolras noticed Eponine brush a strand of hair behind her ear, a tell tale sign that she was nervous but from the look on her face he could tell the guy was flirting with her. He didn't know why but all of a sudden a giant knot formed in his stomach and he wanted to do nothing more than go over and break up the conversation the two were having.

_Snap out of it Enjolras!_ He told himself,_ She doesn't need your protection._

Eponine finally broke away and continued on her way, though an enamored smile was still playing on her lips. All the guys looked on as the guy who flirted with Eponine walked off, none of them recognized him but even so he gave Enjolras a bad feeling.

"Morning everybody!" She greeted cheerfully as she plopped down into the giant cushioned arm chair next to Grantaire.

Combeferre decided to walk in at that exact moment "What's got you so happy this morning?"

She shrugged, "I don't know, I just am. So what is everyone working on?"

"Well I think the social events committee is currently planning out the winter dance" he explained, to which Eponine nodded

"So nothing important"

"Something tells me you aren't a dance-y person." Grantaire commented

"Not particularly, no."

"But…" cut in Enjolras, "we are still working on the upcoming election, and we are also looking over some standards and rules the school has set that we don't exactly agree with. We believe that if we can convince enough people to join our cause then the school board will looked over all the flaws in the system and-"

Without another word Eponine hopped out of the chair and sprinted into the other room where social events were meeting.

Grantaire patted Enjolras on the back, "Leave it to you to make women scurry off."

"In all fairness," Joly cut in, "he is actually the one what attracts them the most."

"Then explain to me why he hasn't had a girlfriend since 8th grade."

"And that only lasted for a month..." whispered Joly

Enjolras rolled his eyes, "Because I have more important things in life than worrying about girls and dating."

"You never know Enjolras; you might just find that one special girl who can make you change your mind."

"Well when you find her tell me."

* * *

**A/N; Stuck on who to choose as the guy who flirted with Eponine so if you have any ideas please tell me!**

**Anyway in other news, my friends in this high orchestra/band were teasing me b/c they got to play selections from _Les Miserables_ so i went out an bought myself a _Les Miz_ flute book for $2 and told them all to stick it in their juiceboxes and stuck it!**

**Enjolras: Very mature, did you come up with it yourself?**

**Me (rolling my eyes): At least i have a cool vest**

**Enjorlas: You rigged that bet i know it!**

**Me: You're just a sore loser**

**Enjolras: Then you wouldnt mind placing another one**

**Me: Bring it!**

**Courfeyrac (looking at us from a distance): Remind me why we let her into the barricade?**

**Joly: We felt bad cuz she was a walking target for Meponine shippers. Though its good to see Enjolras show some actual emotion**

**Me & Enjolras: WE CAN HEAR YOU!**


	19. On My Own

**A/N; Super Bowl Sunday everyone! Though much like Eponine I could really care less...i'm not a football fan**

**Did anyone ever notice that in _One Day More_ Enjolras c****omes in right after Eponine and they sing the SAME THING! Its the exact same tune and they are right next to each other. I know they never talk in the musical but come on! I see that as a sign (Plus in many editions Eponine stands right next to him as they march! Honestly how could neither of them see the other there!?)**

**Oh and you know who was a hot Enjolras? Daniel Digs...he was Enjolras in the Marid Cast of Les Miz, he was amazing, as was the Eponine in that cast! Oh my she did amazing as Eponine, she took a tougher side when she played her but it was amazing nonetheless, she is the Eponine persona i now base personality off of (though Samantha Barks is still my fave) if you ever get a chance type in _Sale el Sol_ on Youtube, even if you dont speak Spanish the song is amazing as is the acting :D (you will love it, i promise!)**

**Enjolras: Can we just get on with the story, i doubt many of these readers will have seen the people you are talking about**

**Me: Stop telling me what to do!**

**Eponine: He has a point**

**Me: Oh sure side with him...I brought you here to help me break him not encourage him**

**Eponine: Oh whatever**

**Please review everyone :D**

* * *

Eponine sat in the giant armchair in the café once again, her mind wondering around aimlessly as she gazed out the window into the rainy afternoon. Her journal was spread across her lap and she aimlessly tapped her pen against the rim of it. The day before she had ran into a boy at the café, when he grabbed her elbow at first she had half a mind to knee him in the stomach but there was something about his charisma that just made her melt. She still held on feelings for Marius but she also couldn't help but think about how cute that boy was.

_Oh stop it 'Ponine! What's wrong with you? You are starting to sound like Cosette._

With that she turned her attention back to her journal and began writing away. She was sitting in the armchair waiting for Enjolras; apparently speech had been canceled for some reason and he thought it would be a good idea to tutor Eponine instead. They both decided to move the session to the café as it was a more comfortable setting and Eponine could get to work as soon as it was over.

When he first asked Eponine if she was available for a tutoring session she was a little suspicious but seeing as it was Friday afternoon and she had nothing better to do she went along with it, especially since Azelma went out with a bunch of friends and her father decided to go buy a six-pack. She was still writing away in her journal when someone sat down in the couch next to the armchair and placed a cup in the little table between them.

She looked up from the white pages of her journal to see Enjolras lying back on the couch.

"Is that for me?" she asked, motioning to the drink he had set down.

"Who else could it be for?"

"I don't know your imaginary friend?"

"Very funny"

"I try." She said as she took a sip from the cup, "Hot chocolate…you remembered!"

"Of course I did, not every day you find out that the waitress at the coffee shop hates coffee."

"Shhhh, lower your voice. Don't want the boss to know, and I never said I hated it, I just said I didn't like it."

"Same different"

"It's _very_ different Enjy."

"Moving on, let's get to studying."

"Fine by me," she shrugged as she got up and moved to a small table with two chairs. She sat down and rubbed her face as it wiping the sleep off of it. Enjolras let out a little laugh as he saw her face when he sat down next to her. "What's so funny?"

"Eponine, you got a little something on your face."

"Huh?"

He chuckled again before taking out his iPhone and switching to the front facing camera so she could see. Eponine let out a little gasp as she looked into the screen, there were ink markings all over her face were she had rubbed it. She then looked down at her hands and saw that they had ink stains too. It was then that she noticed the pen in her hand had broken and left a bit of a mess on her hands.

"Oh wow," she muttered, "I better go clean this off. I'll be right back."

With that she dropped her journal down on the table and sped off to the bathroom to wash the ink off of herself. She was gone for a few minutes but when she returned she was mostly ink free. She slid in next to Enjolras and cracked open her textbook and notebook.

"So one subject you need to raise your grade in is English right?"

"Yes." Eponine answered as she organized her things.

"That's surprising considering you have some real talent."

"What?" she asked, completely confused by his statement

He smugly held up her journal and her facial expression changed from confusion to anger. She lunged to snatch the journal back from his grasp but he pulled back just in time.

"Give me that!" she hissed, "It's mine."

"Well you left it in plain view, so fair game."

"I do not need to be lectured on laws counselor," She mocked, "but just because the journal was in plain sight does not mean that you could open it and go through it. The pages and writing on them themselves are not in plain sight."

"You seem to know a lot about laws and legal procedures."

"I watch a lot of _Law and Order_." She shot back

"I can tell, that aside I mean what I said."

"About what?"

"About your writing Eponine, you're a very talented writer."

Her eyes narrowed at him.

"Don't believe me?"

"Not really, name one entry in there that's any good."

Enjolras sighed but in a second he flipped through the pages till he finally came to the poem that struck out to him the most. In actuality when Eponine scurried off her journal fell on the floor and his only intention was to pick it up, but it was open to a page and his eyes glanced over the entry as he did so; that in mind he read over the entry and was astounded by it. He had no idea Eponine was capable of writing something like that. Out of curiosity he looked over some other entries and poems, but none compared to the first one he saw.

"Here, this one is amazing."

Eponine rolled her eyes once more as she took the journal in her hands but as soon as she read the page and saw which entry it was her heart dropped. The poem Enjolras opened to was the one she labeled as _On My Own_.

She read over it carefully, though she knew fully well what she wrote.

_On my own  
Pretending he's beside me  
All alone/I walk with him 'til morning  
Without him, I feel his arms around me  
And when I lose my way, I close my eyes and he has found me  
In the rain/The pavement shines like silver  
All the lights are misty in the river  
In the darkness, the trees are full of starlight/And all I see is him and me forever and forever…..._

_And I know it's only in my mind  
That I'm talking to myself and not to him  
And although I know that he is blind/ Still I say there's a way for us  
I love him  
But when the night is over/ He is gone/ The river's just a river  
Without him, the world around me changes  
The trees are bare and everywhere the streets are full of strangers  
I love him  
But every day I'm learning  
All my life I've only been pretending  
Without me, his world will go on turning  
The world is full of happiness that I have never __**known!**__  
I love him….I love him…I love him  
But only on my own_

"I really don't appreciate you reading this without asking me," She mumbled shamefully, "No one was supposed to see this."

"'Ponine this is nothing to be ashamed of, your poem is amazing."

"It's nice of you to say that-"

"I mean that, you have a real knack for this."

"Thank you." She responded timidly as her teeth scraped over her bottom lip.

"Why don't you pursue this?"

She looked at him as if the answer as obvious, "Writing is a nice habit but at the end of the day it won't help me put food on the table."

"It can if you find the right field."

Eponine opened her mouth to say something witty when Marius bursted into the room and ran over toward her.

"'Ponine thank goodness I found you, I need to talk to you."

"Really now?" she asked sarcastically

"Yes, you see-"

"You have another letter," she interrupted, "and you want me to give it to Cosette." Her tone was bitter with a slight touch of venom but Marius was completely oblivious.

"You know me so well." He cheered as he took out a letter and placed it in her palm, "I honestly couldn't ask for a better best friend." He pulled her into a tight embrace and Eponine felt her heart soar but it was only for a moment as he quickly broke away and left, quickly shouting thanks at her again over his shoulder as he left.

Eponine stood there for a minute without budging an inch, one hand held the letter and the other at her side. Her hand was rolled up in a fist that so was tight her nails dug into her palm. She just stared down at the letter with Cosette's name written across the top. Her heart ache even more than usual, Marius didn't even wait for her to respond, he just assumed she would do it, and he didn't even ask her how she was or even talk to her for more than a second. All he cared about was getting that stupid letter to Cosette, Eponine felt degraded, like she was nothing more than a messenger in his mind. As she walked back to the table she could feel the weight of two anchors on her feet with every step. When she sat back down her face went straight down to her books and she didn't notice Enjolras' expression, it was one of apprehension and irritation.

"You really meant what you wrote didn't you?"

No words escaped Eponine mouth but she did nod her head in response.

"Why do you do it Eponine?" His tone was made up of both anger and sympathy.

She remained silent for a moment before going on, "Because he asks me to."

"I honestly don't get it. You like the guy, completely devoted to him, and yet you are helping him get together with another girl? Where is the logic in that?!"

"It's not logics Enjolras."

"Well obviously." He responded, very annoyed with the whole thing, "I would love to hear your reasoning behind this."

Eponine's eyes flicked up to him, "I love him and I would do anything for him. Being with Cosette makes him happy and-"

"But you are miserable!"

"Why do you care?" Her anger was reaching its boiling point, "Marius is my closest friend and I can't bare so see him upset."

Enjolras gave her a hesitant smile, "He is an idiot for falling for someone else when he already has someone like you. I just wish you didn't allow yourself to get hurt like this."

Her gaze soften a bit, "When you care for someone like this you would do anything for them. So long as she needs me I'll be there."

"And what happens when he doesn't need you anymore?"

"Then I'll be on my own again, it's bittersweet really."

"I'm not following."

"It hurts to see him fall for Cosette but it hurts more that I have to be the one in the middle. Once they get their senses and actually talk to each other I won't have to be the middle man anymore…."

"You can be left alone and move on." He finished, understanding her point.

She nodded, "His world will go on turning without me, but it at least it will be a world full of happiness. That's all I can ask for."

Enjolras sat there for a moment, not really knowing what to do. He could tell Eponine was upset but he had absolutly no knowledge in how to comfort her, or anyone for that matter. So instead simply he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and rubbed her arm."You deserve more."

She gave him a genuine half-smile, "Thank you."

They saw like like for another moment before Eponine shrugged off his arm and turned back to the school work in front of her, she didn't like dwelling on things, it didn't help anything and in the end in only produced more pain.

"So lession 5.3 right?"

Enjolras was confused by her at first but caught on quickly, he felt bad for Eponine, and pissed at Marius for hurting her like that even if it was unintentional, but he admired her for her strength. Without another word he starting tutoring her again and tried to avoid all mention of Marius and Cosette.

Eponine found, however, that she couldn't let it go as easily as she wanted. She tried to focus her attention on her school work but the lingering thoughts of Marius and Cosette kept haunting her. The letter in her pocket weighted a ton and it burned her skin.

"Eponine are you alright?"

"Excuse me?" she asked, coming back to reality

"You seem very distracted."

"Sorry..."

"It's alright...Eponine you can't keep doing this. Don't you see what it's doing to you?"

Eponin pressed her lips together and nodded, "Yeah I realize that...and your right."

"I am?" He asked, surprized and pleased with himself

"Yes, I can't keep delivering the letters. It gives me false hope and each letter feels like a knife to my heart."

"Well I am glad you are coming to your-"

"I have to bring them together."

Enjolras looked at her as if she was crazy, "You lost me."

"I'm going to make them meet."

* * *

**A/N: So my I was wearing my hat the other day and when my friend mentioned that it look like a Les Miz hat i told him it was an Eponine hat, he replied with "Well that's a bit of a stretch...then again you do look like an Eponine, you have the right hair and complextion"**

**Fair to saw I was very happy! Oh and me and another guy i know started talking about the movie and we realized something...during _Empty Chairs at Empty Tables_ there was only ONE TABLE! I took out my phone to prove him wrong (i have a picture of that scene) only to see he was right...he still thought i was crazy tho**

**Joly; I really feel like i may have to examine her one day...but i dont want to catch whatever she has, her con-Tammy-nation is spreading quickly.**

**Enjolras: I think that's impossible Joly as he problem isnt one that can be solved by medicine**

**Joly: So you think she is just crazy?**

**Enjolras: Yea pretty much**

**Me (glaring at Enjy): You better watch yourself or in the next chapter I'm gonna force you to listen to _Its A Small World _for two hours non-stop**

**Enjolras: You wouldn't!**

**Me (glaring at him): Try me!**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Hiya, I have a good 5 days till Valentine's Day and I will try to give you guys a least another chapter or two before that but no promises... Oh sorry for any typos i may have, I'm not perfect**

**Oh and I'll give a cookie to whoever can tell me who Eponine's 'admirer' is! (It will make sense when you read)**

**As always please review!**

* * *

_"Are you sure about this?"He asked. When she said nothing and simply nodded he decided to continue, "Don't you know what will happen if you do that?"_

_She shrugged, "They will meet, fall further 'in love' and become a couple." She replied sarcastically _

_"And you are ok with that?"_

_"I already know the outcome of the story. Me postponing it wouldn't change anything, I have no fear…..it's the inevitable."_

_Enjolras stared at her in disbelief for a moment before speaking, "That's very admirable of you."_

_"Thank you." She whispered softly._

Eponine pressed her lips together and walked on, her eyes looking at nothing else but her dilapidated black converse, as her mind kept repeating Enjolras conversation with her over and over again. It had been three days since she made her rash decision to bring Marius and Cosette together, and as much as the thought hurt her she knew it was for the better. For weeks she had been acting as their messenger, smiling each time she gave them a letter, neither ever noticing the ache she hid behind it, and frankly she just couldn't handle it anymore. Each letter felt like a 100 pounds and burnt a hole in her pocket, she would love seeing Marius happy but it was her expense. By moving them along she could move on in her own way, the pain would come no doubt but unlike most people Eponine didn't want to keep putting it off, it just made the ache in her heart greater.

That's how she found herself at the mall on Saturday afternoon with Cosette trailing behind her. Why she chose the mall she had no idea but that what ended up being the meeting place. She knew she could have made them meet at the café but the selfish side of Eponine couldn't allow that. The café was _her_ place; she never had to worry about anything or anyone there. It was her place with her friends, the one thing she was proud to have, making it Cosette's and Marius' 'special spot' would take that away from her, and it was something she couldn't bear: she was losing enough as it was.

As the time neared 4pm she took out her phone to check for messages only to find it empty. Grantaire and Courfeyrac had both agreed to help Eponine out in what they called _Operation Matchmaker_. Their job was to make sure Marius was at the mall and would be at the spot they had chosen but keep him the dark as to why. Neither of them knew about her feelings toward him but that was for the better; if they had they would have been like Enjolras and try to talk her out of it.

_The quicker this is all over the better._ She thought, _As soon as they see each other this will be one step closer to being over._

At least that is what she told herself but in reality the whole situation gnawed her from the inside out. Once she made them meet she knew it was going past the point of no return; they would meet each other at last and there would be no going back. She took a deep breath and shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket, never meeting the eyes of Cosette. As they walked Cosette kept pointing out different things that she liked or that she thought would fit Eponine's complexion perfectly. Eponine would nod but she didn't give much more of a response, her mind was more preoccupied with other things. A ding in her pocket brought her back to her senses.

Grantaire_- smoothie stand Ready for Operation Matchmaker._

Eponine looked over at Cosette from the corner of her eye and bit her lip before responding- _Ok_

She slipped her phone back into her pocket and took another deep breath and she slowly turned to face Cosette, a forced smile plaguing her face.

"Are you thirsty?"

Cosette jolted a bit and a surprised expression found a place on her face, "Umm…I guess."

"Great," she said with fake enthusiasm, "here come with me, I know a great place!"

She took Cosette's arm and semi-forcefully dragged her to the center of the open area of the mall, she told Cosette to wait their while she went off to buy the drinks. As soon as she was out of ear and eye shot she set her focus on finding the guys. It took her all of 10 seconds to spot them, or more specifically Enjolras' bright red sweatshirt. She was reasonably surprised to see him there but she didn't let that bother her mind too much, she had other things to worry about. She neared them cautiously her hands deep in her pockets as she neared them.

Grantaire spotted her first, "Hey Eppy, fancy finding you here."

Eponine rolled her eyes at his 'discreetness' before looking up and giving them a small wave.

Marius met her eyes and smiled warmly,"Hello 'Ponine."

Eponine bit her lip lightly in an attempt to keep her from smiling. No matter what the circumstances may be Marius could still make Eponine smile and her heart flutter. "Hi Marius"

"What brings you here?"

She shrugged nonchalantly, "Oh you know I just had to get out of the house. What about you?"

"Grantaire decided to force me to come."

"Force?" Grantaire cut in, looking offended "I would not say I forced you."

"You trolled my phone all day."

"And?"

"And then you popped up at my door and practically drag me here!"

"Is that not an ok thing to do?"

"Not in society's standards."

"Since when have I ever cared about those?"

"Fair enough," nodded Eponine. She looked over Marius and glanced at Cosette from the corner of her eye; _it's now or never._

"Eponine are you alright?" a voice asked her

"What -huh?" she looked over her shoulder to see Grantaire and Enjolras looking at her questionably. "Yeah I'm fine…..just lost my train of thought for a moment."

"Alright then," Grantaire shrugged buying her excuse before turning back to Marius, "So what do you want to do next buddy?"

Enjolras shook his head at him, "Oh no, we are not spending another hour with you as you flirt with everything wearing a skirt!"

"Is it my fault I find the opposite sex attracting? If anything I am just expressing my manhood."

"Oh honestly Grantaire…."

As Grantaire and Enjolras kept bickering Eponine leaned over and whispered in Marius ear, "Wanna ditch them and get out of here?"

"I would like nothing better." He responded

"Then let's hurry before they notice." She giggled as she took his arm and half dragged him away from the other two.

As they walked away Eponine held on to Marius and laughed very light-heartedly and she almost forgot about everything, until she neared the table and remembered why she was there in the first place. Her face fell the second she spotted Cosette's blonde head but she knew it was too late to turn back now.

"Marius?" she asked softly, almost wishing he hadn't heard her

He had heard, "Yes?"

She bit down hard on the side of her lip, "You know how you and Cosette have been sending letters back and forth but never actually talked to each other?"

"Yeah….."

"I don't think that will be happening anymore."

Marius's eyes filled with anxiety and he began asking her questions all at once, "Why? Did I do something wrong? Did she not like my letters? Did she find someone else?"

Eponine took a step back from him out of instinct, "Cool your jets Pontmercy!"

He looked taken back, "S-sorry." He muttered

Eponine rolled her eyes before taking out her phone, "Oh don't worry about it: just stand here for a second ok?"

"Why?"

"Just do it!"

Marius said nothing as Eponine's outburst scared him a bit and he stood there while she dialed number on her phone and called the person. As soon as the person answered Eponine began talking away, Marius didn't hear the entire thing but he caught little snippets of the conversation here and there.

"…..just turn around!" she yelped over the phone.

The next thing Marius knew Eponine grabbed his shoulders from behind and turned him a bit before shoving him in another direction.

"'Ponine what the hell are you-"

He didn't have time to respond as the next thing his eyes landed on was Cosette. She looked just as surprised as he did; her phone was glued to her ear but her eyes were wide and her mouth was opened, if Marius had to guess he would say he looked just like she did.

"C-c-co-Cosette?" He stuttered

"Marius?"

They took another step toward each other timidly and another and another until they were standing right in front of each other. Both stood there speechless, sure they had been writing back and forth but this was the first time since the game that they had actually talked to each other.

"Cosette….I don't know what to say."

She smiled timidly, "Then make no sound."

He rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't really know what happened here….I guess I can start by saying 'hello'"

"Yes that would be a nice start."

"I feel as if I've been doing everything all wrong."

"Have no fears or regret; I've been just as bad."

"So it's not a dream after all."

They both smiled at that and before long they actually started talking and enjoying each other's company.

* * *

Eponine looked on from a distance. She found a nice place to hang out under the stairs, she stood by the bars as the two love-birds finally talked and acknowledged one another. She was far enough away so they didn't notice her but close enough that she could decently hear what they were saying. Her fingers gripped the metal bars as she looked on, each second her grip tightened and tighten. They didn't give her a second thought after they saw each other and she knew she should act the same and walk away but for some reason she couldn't, she wanted to see if things were turning out like she expected. Unfortunately for her everything was turning out better than she planned, they had really fallen for each other and every word and glance they shared was another dagger in her.

_Just get over it!_ She told herself. _He was never mine to lose. All those words he is saying to Cosette are words he will never say….not to me, not for me. His heart is full of love, you should just be happy for him. Don't regret what cannot be._

She stood there for awhile longer, not moving an inch as she feared she would rip apart at the seams if she did. All of a sudden she felt a hand on her shoulder give her a reassuring squeeze and she turned abruptly so see Enjolras looking at her with sympathy. She gave him a small half smile but he could see that it did not meet her eyes. Enjolras noticed her disappear with Marius a few minutes earlier and judging from her current state he could tell that she was upset, though she was trying her hardest to seem strong. He wanted to comfort her but emotions were not something he was comfortable dealing with, instead he nudged his head to the direction of a nearby table, silently asking her to join him and Grantaire. She nodded and without a word she followed him.

They tried to stay silent, an unspoken understanding between them, but Grantaire didn't catch on, or he simply didn't seem to care.

"So how did Operation Matchmaker go?" he asked

Eponine shrugged, "Swimmingly, the two love-doves are now talking and proclaiming their love to each other." She responded with a sarcastic tone.

"And it's all thanks to you!" He cheered

She rolled her eyes sadly, "Yea I know…." Grantaire didn't know what the whole thing was doing to her on the inside and she didn't really want to explain so instead she just sat there and stared off into space trying to drown out his nonstop chatter. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Courfeyrac running toward them with a worried look on his face, but when he saw Eponine he automatically slowed down. She raised her eyebrow at him as he slowly approached, "Hey Couf"

"Oh hey Eppy," he looked at her nervously, "You are looking nice today. Did you do something new with your hair because it looks good….not that you don't always look good?"

She scrunched her nose at him, "Um thank you…may I ask where Gavroche is?"

Courfeyrac looked at her a bit shocked, "Do you not trust us to watch after him Eppy? Do you really have so little faith in us? I mean come on Eppy I-"

"Whoa cool it! I was just wondering where he was, I wasn't accusing you of anything."

He looked a bit embarrassed, "Oh well I-"

"Wait a second, now I'm concerned." She narrowed her eyes at him, "Courfeyrac where is Gavroche?!"

"Well um….."

"YOU LOST MY BROTHER!"

"I wouldn't say lost…..more like we got separated and never found each other again. But don't panic, it's only been half an hour."

Her expression turned deadly, "If you don't find him I am going to murder you!"

"I understand that but…."

"No buts! You find him or I will kill you!"

Just then a small figure came running toward them and with him a sigh of relief could be heard coming from both Eponine and Courfeyrac.

"There you are!" exclaimed the little boy

"Gavroche where have you been? I've been worried sick!"

"Sorry Couf, I got distracted by some stuff at the store and then you were gone so I started looking around for ya, only I couldn't find ya."

"Gavroche you know it's better to just stay put when you are lost. Do you know what would have happened if I didn't find you?"

"Eponine would have ripped your head off and made it look like an accident?"

"No of course not- wait…yes that's exactly what would have happened!"

"Well it's good to know you cared so much about me."

"No Gavroche that's not what I meant, I-"

Gavroche laughed, "Calm down Courfeyrac, I'm only teasing."

Courfeyrac let out a sigh of relief and opened his mouth to say something but before he could Marius and Cosette neared their table.

"Hey guys." Greeted Marius

"Hiya," Grantaire said in return as he glanced over at Cosette, "are you going to introduce us to your pretty friend here?"

"Oh right! Everyone this is Cosette. Cosette this is everyone."

"Hello." She said timidly

"Is this the girl you've been talking about for the past 3 weeks?" asked Courfeyrac

"The very same." He grinned as she wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in.

"Well I must say Marius," cut in Grantaire, "you do have good taste."

The couple looked at him oddly, "Um thank you….I think."

They each took a seat and tried to merge in with the ongoing conversations. Eponine sat there across from them and she couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable, all talk seemed to go back to Marius and Cosette and she noticed the way Grantaire was looking at her with interest. She bit her lip again as she took note of how lousy she looked in her old converse and ripped skinny jeans compared to Cosette in her ballet flats and skirt.

_No wonder he never saw me there._

After a few minutes she just couldn't take it anymore.

"Hey sorry everyone but I have to go….." she said as she stood up and turned to go.

"Yeah me too." Said another voice, "Do you want a ride?"

Eponine looked up to see Enjolras getting out of his seat as well, "Yeah that would be cool." She said quickly, normally she wouldn't accept a ride that quickly but she just wanted to get out of the area as quick as possible and arguing with Enjolras would not help.

They walked in silence for a bit but as soon as she was sure no one could hear them Eponine spoke up.

"Did you really have to go or did you just feel bad for me?"

Enjolras didn't even bat an eye before giving her his response, "I honestly don't know how much more of their constant blabbing I could take."

"You and me both."

"Do you regret it?"

Eponine raised her head to look at his face, "Huh?"

"Do you regret making them meet?"

She shrugged, "Not necessarily, I mean it hurts a bit that they are so open and like to share their feelings to me while I have to keep mum but it's a step that had to be taken."

"Why do you think that?"

"The lovey-dovey stage will soon die down and things will be easier to bare. Before I still had that hope that Marius wouldn't like her as much the more he got to know her but now that I see how everything is, plus how much longer can they act like that?"

"I am hoping not much longer. Don't get me wrong Marius is cool and all but I honestly couldn't care less about his lonely soul."

Eponine laughed and Enjolras joined in, her laughter was contagious. They finally reached the car and Enjolras asked Eponine were she wanted to go as she strapped on her seatbelt, she told him that she didn't want to return home so they came to the mutual agreement to go to the café. On the way there Eponine fidgeted with the radio until she found a station she actually liked. The car ride was remotely quiet, taking away Eponine's singing as some of her favorites songs played. Enjolras rolled his eyes and chuckled as she sang but nonetheless he didn't say anything about it, a small part of him actually enjoyed hearing her. When they finally reached the café they noticed that the parking lot was relatively empty as was the café.

"For a Saturday afternoon things sure are slow." Commented Enjolras as they entered.

"Yea no kidding." She added.

They picked out a table by the window and Eponine insisted on the drinks being her treat this time as Enjolras paid for hers the past 3 times, only one of which she had actually asked him to. When she came back she set down his coffee in front of him along with a two small chocolate chip muffins.

"Muffins, really?"

"What? Mr. Myriel said I could take them, on the house."

"Very well then," He said as picked one up and absent-mindedly picked at it, "So what are your plans for Thanksgiving?"

"When is that again?" she asked as she took as sip of the hot cocoa.

Enjolras raised an eyebrow at her, "This Thursday."

"Really so soon, wow time flies doesn't it."

"I take this to mean that you don't have any plans."

Eponine pouted a bit as she stirred her drink with the straw, "No not really; Thanksgiving isn't something my family has celebrated in awhile, we don't really celebrate anything."

"That's…..sad I'm not going to lie that is just depressing."

"I know but _c'est la vie."_ She responded apathetically.

Eponine leaned back on her chair and took another sip of her drink just as Mr. Myriel came by with a plate on his hands.

He smiled warmly as he set it down on the table, "For you Eponine."

Eponine and Enjolras looked at each other in question, "We didn't order anything else sir."

"Oh I know this is curiosity of someone else."

"Sir I couldn't possible take something else from you."

"Oh it's not from me; it's from another young gentleman."

"Who?" she asked in suspicion.

"I didn't get a name and he was in a rush so I couldn't ask him, but he did leave me this to give to you along with the slice of cake." He explained as he took a piece of paper out of his pocket.

"Oh well….thank you sir."

"Not a problem Eponine, take care now and enjoy your evening."

As soon as he left Enjolras turned back to Eponine, "Who do you think it's from?"

"I don't know."

"Well open the note and find out."

"Later," she said as she stuck the note in her pocket, "but first you and me have a cake we have to eat."

"But it's yours Eponine."

"But I don't want to eat it all on my own, and you get the first bite: no if ands or buts!"

Enjolras rolled his eyes, "Fine…." He said as he picked up a fork and took a bite.

"Is it good?" she asked

"Yeah…."

"Great, I just wanted to make sure it wasn't spoiled or something."

Enjolras opened his mouth in disbelief, "So you were willing to risk my well-being for yours."

"Hey you're alright aren't you?"

"Eponine you will be the death of me."

"And I am ok with that." She chuckled.

Eponine then took a bite of the cake and before long the thick slice was gone. They had to admit it was a good cake, though the sender of it remained a mystery and Eponine wasn't budging when she said she didn't feel like reading it. Eventually Enjolras gave up and the conversation turned to a different topic. However when Enjolras went to the bathroom Eponine discreetly slid the note out of her pocket and carefully opened it. The writing was simple but precise and the message as also short.

_A sweet piece of cake for a sweet girl, I've noticed you around and you've caught my attention and I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer to talk to you in person but I do hope our paths cross again._

_Theodule _

Eponine stared at the note for in disbelief. Never in her life did she think she would be the one getting notes. She heard Enjolras' steps returning to the table and she quickly stuck the note back in pocket, no use wasting a good moment pondering over what something else, but curiosity still played in her head.

* * *

**A/N:**** Dont kill me...sorry for the abrupt ending but its 4am here and I really shouldnt be up this late**

**Grantaire: You are at the barricades, there are no rules here we can stay up as long as we like.**

**Me: Until you die**

**Grantaire: Enjolras is rubbing off on you**

**Me: NO!**

**Enjolras: Ha!**

**Me: You still have to give me piggy back rides whenever someone says "Patria"**

**Grantaire: Another bet?**

**Me: Yep.**

**Enjolras: You rig them I know you do!**

**Me: You cant prove anything!**

**Grantaire: Hey Enjy, PATRIA!**

**Enjolras (eyes narrowing ): You are cruel**

**Me (jumping on his back): Oh lighten up, TO THE BARRICADES!**

**Enjolras: We are in the barricades**

**Me: To the other side of the barricades!**


	21. Chapter 21

Eponine read over her French notes again as her pencil tapped against the table. She sat at her usual table by the window of the café. She and Enjolras have been studying for awhile and all the work was starting to get to her.

Enjolras pointed at some notes on her paper with his pencil, "You see all the superlative roots-"

"Enjolras….." She groaned as she leaned back on her chair and let her head droop back, placing her hands behind her head to prevent her hat from falling off.

"Eponine we have to focus if you want to do better."

She closed her eyes in attempt to zone him out, "But we have been studying non-stop for forever!" she whined, "I don't know how much more I can take."

He rolled his eyes but didn't look up to meet her face, "It's only been an hour."

She pouted her lip.

"Whining isn't going to do you any good."

"It just might."

"No it won't."

"Yes it will."

"No it won't."

"I'm not studying right now." She said with a tone implying that she knew better than him.

"That is not due to whining, that is due to you being stubborn. We will be done quicker if you focused again."

"But Enjy I don't wanna!"

"Do you really think resorting to calling me Enjy will get you anywhere?"

"Can't we just take a break? What's wrong with a break, I don't see a problem with one."

"Oh fine!"

"Yeah!" she grinned, straightening herself up a bit. "You know you aren't as stubborn as everyone claims you are."

"I'll pretend you didn't say that. So what did you have in mind to do instead of studying?"

She shrugged, "Nothing really. I just want to stop studying."

He shook his head at her, "Typical…."

"Hey we can't all be academic epitomes like you!"

"Is that supposed to be your defense or a compliment?"

"Oh forget it!"

"So….." he said in an attempt to change the subject, "have anything fun planned for tomorrow?"

"Thanksgiving?" she asked to which he nodded, "Well as I told you my family isn't really keen on the whole 'expensive holidays' stuff, they see it as a waste of money. What about you?"

"My parents are out of town." He said plainly.

She almost jolted out of her seat, "What!? How could they be gone around Thanksgiving?"

"Coming from the girl who doesn't celebrate it?"

"That's different; my family isn't your typical family."

"Well mine isn't either."

"What do you mean? You have the perfect life." She said solemnly, "You are the star of the football team and the pride of the speech team, not to mention school president. You're a straight A student, everyone loves you and at the end of the day to get to go home to a big house with a warm meal on the table, luxury, and a loving family to support you."

"You make that all sound like a bad thing."

"Excuse me for being envious….but in all honestly, why aren't your parent gonna be home?"

"Well they are each on a separate business trip, my mom is in China and my dad is in Spain."

"Oh wow….touch luck."

He shrugged it off, "Yeah but I don't really mind all too much, I actually kind of prefer it."

"Why is that?"

"It's a long story."

She leaned back on her chair, "I've got time, and I owe you for hearing me out during my rants."

He sighed and brushed some of his hair back, "Very well….once upon a time-"

"Enjolras!" she snapped

He did his best to hold back a laugh, "I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it."

She rolled her eyes, "Come on, I was serious! What's your story?"

"Why are you so interested?"

"We have been friends for 2 years and all I know about you is that your first name is Aiden. Besides, I really want to hear what you've got to say."

"There isn't really much to tell…I don't really have the best relationship with my parents." He looked over at Eponine who raised an eyebrow at that statement, "My father is a very cold man…"

"Is that where you get it from?" she teased, causing him to glare, "Ok I get it, touchy subject. Sorry, please continue."

"Thank you, anyway….he isn't really one for emotion and it was very notable growing up. We aren't close under any means, but there was a time when I did everything to try to please him."

"Try?"

"Yep, he still hasn't shown me even the slightest bit of pride."

Eponine looked shocked, "How can that be? You have to be the child every parent wants."

"You don't have to try to make feel better Eponine."

"I'm not I-"

"It doesn't really matter anyway." He said, not hearing her speak, "We never see eye to eye on anything and argue, and that's only when we actually talk."

"What do you mean?"

"My father is more concerned with his business and making money than he is with me."

"Wall street?"

"Yep." He said, annunciating the 'p'. "He is always working or away on business trips and when he is not he is critiquing me for my views and beliefs. My mother isn't much better; she is a big CEO so she is always off too when not cooped up in her office."

"I'm sorry." She said wrapping her arms around his and leaned her head on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.

He just shrugged it off, "Don't worry about it. I've gotten used to it."

"Well if you ask me, it's their loss for not realizing what an amazing son they have."

"Thanks."

"I mean it; you are smart, nice, athletic, and handsome….." she muttered the last part under her breath.

"What was that?"

"N-nothing"

"I could have sworn you said handsome."

"Well I-….oh what the hell, it's no secret that you are hot Enjy, every girl in school thinks that. That's one of the reasons why every girl likes you."

"I severely doubt."

She gasped as she hit him upside the head, "Have you been living under a hole?"

"What was that for?" he asked as he rubbed his head

"Do you not see how every single girl in school looks at you? I mean come on; they practically gawk anytime you walk by. Do you not notice how every cheerleader in existence has made at least one pass at you, and how you are constantly being flirted with?"

"I don't really keep tabs on things like that."

She giggled, "You just don't keep tabs on anything that's not academic."

Enjolras was about to open his mouth to answer her back when he noticed someone walk up to them and stand by their table.

"Hi." She said overly-sweetly, causing Eponine to roll her eyes but luckily she didn't notice.

"Um….. hello." Enjolras replied hesitantly. Both he and Eponine recognized the blonde girl standing right by them. Her name was Galinda, she was your stereotypic cheerleader- overly perky, popular, blonde, and shallow, everything Enjolras didn't particularly like.

"Oh I do hope I'm not interrupting something?" She stated, not even taking note of Eponine

Enjolras shrugged, "I don't-"

"Well that's good, wouldn't want to be known as the girl who interrupts stuff, not a good reputation." She said overly enthusiastically.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Enjolras asked

"Enjy!" She sounded offended, but only mockingly so, "I'm shocked you would think so little of me. Do I really need a reason to come over and talk to a friend?"

"I guess not? But please don't call me Enjy."

"Alright! I just wanted to pop over and say hi, I mean we hardly ever talk and you never show up to any parties, I swear finding you alone is like finding a needle in a hay stack."

Eponine's jaw dropped a bit, _Alone!_ She thought. _What does she not see that I am right here! Or am I just too much of a nobody to be worth her attention._

"Anyway," Galinda continued, "I was wondering if you aren't too busy…"

"Actually," Enjolras stated, cutting her off, "I am little preoccupied at the moment."

"Really with what?"

Eponine poked her head from the other side of Enjolras shoulder, "With me." She stated as she waved her pointer finger around.

"Oh…..really?" Galinda said, not even bothering to hide her disappointment. She gave her what Eponine deemed as the 'Popular Girl Glance Over" –PGGO for short. She looked slightly disturbed by the fact that Enjolras would have rather spend time with Eponine than with her.

Enjolras came back into the conversation, "Yes, and I don't really have time for anything else at the moment."

"Oh well then, never the matter." She said, taking out a pen and scribbling away on a napkin. "Here's my number, give me a call once you….._liberate_ yourself."

Eponine pressed her lips together to hold back a laugh caused by Galinda's attempt vocabulary. Galinda pressed the napkin into Enjolras hand and gave him a flirt wave before walking off.

Enjolras shook his head and shoved the napkin into his pocket before turning back to Eponine. He noticed she had a smug look at her face.

"What?"  
"Don't tell me you didn't notice that."

"Notice what?"

"Don't try to deny it; Galinda was flirting with you clear as day."

"I'm not denying it, I simply don't care."

"Well she seemed to care. Did you notice her face when you said you were busy with me? Priceless!"

He rolled his eyes, "Let's move on, we need to get back to studying."

"Oh no, you are not changing the subject on me!"

"I don't see the reason in staying on this topic."

"You're just upset because you know I'm right."

"I don't really see the reason in staying on this topic."

She studied him for a moment before continuing, "Let me ask you, do you concern yourself with anything that deals with, oh I don't know, human emotions?"

"Not really, I don't see the reason in it. Things like love and crushes won't help me in anyway."

"But the feeling is blissful."

"You're one to talk."

"Hey!"

"It's true; you are a walking example of someone who is completely distracted by it!"

"I am not!"

"Remind me again why you needed a tutor?"

She raised a finger in protest, "Love did not cloud my mind contrary to your belief, Gavroche leaving and the Marius-Cosette fiasco and playing messenger did!"

"If that helps you sleep at night."

She crossed her arms over her chest, "You're a dick."

"And you're a stereotypical girl." He retorted, causing her stick her tongue out at him, "Oh very mature Eponine."

The next thing he knew his face became the target for her notebook.

"Ow! Now was that really necessary?"

She shrugged innocently, "Yeah I think it was."

"You are really something Eponine."

"Why thank you."

"I didn't mean it as a compliment."

"But I am going to take it as one either way."

Enjolras sighed as he picked up the notebook from its place on the floor where it had landed after Eponine threw it at his head. "So enlighten me Eponine, why do you like love?"

"I don't." she said simply, "I simply fell in it."

"Ok….. Let me rephrase, what made you fall in love?"

She shrugged innocently, "Who knows how love begins, who know what makes it start. One day it's simply there, a light inside your heart." She began, "It chooses you at whim and forces you to feel more joy than you can bear."

He cocked an eyebrow at her, "But it just caused you pain."

"Love gives you pleasure and loves brings you pain, yet when both are gone love will still remain." She answered simply.

"You are very poetic. I think Jehan has some real competition."

"You're just saying that."

"No I mean it." He reassured, "But I still don't understand why everyone is so caught up with the idea of falling for someone. I mean there are so many other things that could be done in the time that people waste pondering over it."

"Only those who allow it to distract them," she responded, "there are many who feel it but they simply don't let it get in their way."

"And I suppose you believe you are one of those people?"

"I know I am." She responded proudly. "Come on are you telling me that you have never liked anyone? That no one has ever made your heart soar, or your cheeks blush?" She asked before putting a hand to his stomach and letting her fingers dance over it, "That you never have felt butterflies fly around in your stomach when you saw a special someone."

Enjolras felt his cheeks heat up a bit but he forced that aside, "No can't say I have."

She drew her hand back and set her head in her hands as her elbows leaned on the table, "I don't believe that."

"Oh really?"

"Yes really, you are a 17 year old boy, can you honestly tell me you have never liked anyone?"

"Well I-"

"I knew it! So who is the lucky girl?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, "There isn't one, and even if there was I wouldn't tell you."

"Why not?"

"If I don't tell Grantaire and Combeferre I doubt I going to tell you."

"You are no fun."

"Yea I know, Grantaire tells me all that all the time."

"Why don't you fix it then?"

"I don't really see it as much of a problem."

Eponine scoffed and threw her head back. "Of course not, you just are that perfect aren't you?"

"I never said I was perfect." He rebutted. "If you will excuse me, I have to use the restroom."

"Enjoy yourself." Eponine teased as he walked off.

Eponine chuckled softly she watched him go. Enjolras was a very unique person but she liked spending time with him either way, he had his kinks but she did too and he didn't seem to mind them. She opened her textbook to study but as she read the first few lines the wheels in her head started turning. The second she felt Enjolras' presence sit next to her she opened her mouth.

"You know I think I figured it out."

He looked at her in confusion, "Figured what out?"

"Why you are so stoic."

He cocked an eyebrow, "Please enlighten me; I would love to hear what you think."

"Your father." She stated plainly

"What do you mean?"

"Your father is the reason why you are the way you are. You told me that you always wanted to make him proud when you were young."

"I still don't see the correlation."

"You burden yourself with tasks that would gain his approval; sports, school, speech, appearance, it was all a way to gain his attention." She explained, "Emotions came in second, you had no time for them because you knew that your father wouldn't approve."

"But you forget that I don't look to gain his approval anymore." He said defensively, "I couldn't care less about what he thinks of me now."

"That may be but old habits die hard. You strived for perfection then so you still do now."

Enjolras opened his mouth to say something to prove her wrong when he realized that she actually had a valid point. He sat there with his mouth open while she looked at him waiting for a response.

"Damn it…" he muttered under his breath

"Ha!" She exclaimed proudly

"Oh like you are always right…"

"Most of the time I am." She paused for another moment then continued on, "You know I was thinking…."

"Yes?"  
"You don't have any plans for thanksgiving, and I don't have any plans."

"Uh-huh?"

Just as she was about to go on both of their phones dinged. Enjolras reached into his pocket as Eponine snatched hers from the table top.

Courfeyrac- _Hey peeps! I was thinking that since many of us are lame and have nothing to do for Thanksgiving and Enjolras' house is big and empty that we could have our own little celebration at his place! Text me back if you want in!_

"Scratch that…" Eponine remarked as she read over the text, "Looks like you are having company."

"I am going to kill him." Enjolras muttered.

"Can I help? I'll make it look like an accident."

"Be my guest."

"So Thanksgiving at your place now?" She asked

"I guess so." He sighed, "Last time I tell Courfeyrac my parents are out of town. I am almost certain that something bad will happen and I will get stuck cleaning it up."

"Lighten up Enjy, maybe things won't turn out so bad. It might even be fun."

"I guess I'll just have to wait and see."


	22. Chapter 22

Enjolras sighed and collapsed on the large armchair in his living room. Courfeyrac and Grantaire weren't kidding when they said they were all going to celebrate the holiday at his house. From what he knew, quite a few people were coming and they were ready for fun. A large part of him wanted to kill his two friends for planning this whole thing not even bothering to ask him – though if they had he would have probably said no and they knew that- but a small part of him was happy to have company, even his brother wasn't staying home that night- not that he really minded, they weren't that close.

He looked up at the ceiling and starting thinking about the previous afternoon. He was curious about what Eponine would have suggested doing before the text came - but he didn't let that plague his mind to much- he guessed he would never know now, she left him a bit afterwards and started her shift at the café. He looked over at the large table in the dining room; he hadn't been expecting company till late the afternoon before so he hadn't really had time to prepare anything-only a basket of bread, some sodas and some spaghetti decorated the table, it wasn't very thanksgiving-y but it was what he could make. He hoped that everyone would be decent enough to bring something; otherwise it would be a very pathetic Thanksgiving.

The door bell rang.

Enjolras sighed deeply as he hoisted himself off the soft chair and walked to open the door.

"Why hello Enjolras!" exclaimed a smiling Grantaire who stood next to Courfeyrac and little Gavroche. He noticed that they all had a dish of food with them.

"Hi." He said dryly

"What's the matter, aren't you happy to see us?"

"Sure…though a bit of a warning would have been better."

"Ah we wouldn't have pulled it off if you new." Added the little boy

Enjolras eyes widened, "You knew about this?"

"Of course, no ever notices a little person sneaking in and out listening in."

"The fact that you can keep a secret doesn't hurt either." Commented Courfeyrac as he ruffled his hair.

"So what's for dinner?" Grantaire asked as he waltzed into the room and into the dining room.

"Well I didn't really have time to make anything; I was hoping that you would have brought something too."

"Ha you're funny."

Courfeyrac let out a small laugh at his friends' conversation before addressing Enjolras, "Don't worry Enj, me and Gavroche brought some turkey…."

"And PIE!" exclaimed Gavroche

Enjolras laughed, "Oh yes, we can't forget the pie."

"Well duh, it's the most important part."

Enjolras nodded, "Agreed."

Gavroche smiled as he hopped past the guys and went to set the pie on the large table.

"So all is coming?" asked Enjolras

Courfeyrac shrugged as he set down the dish he brought, "I don't know, there is us, Joly is coming, as are Feuilly and Combeferre and Marius might pop by a little later, whether he brings Cosette I do not know."

"Let's not forget Eppy." Added Grantaire absent-mindedly as he looked over the liquor cabinet

"Eponine's coming?" asked Gavroche

"Yep," said Courfeyrac, "and she is bringing someone."

"Oh great another dish to wash" Enjolras mumbled bitterly, though something else about Eponine bringing someone was the real cause for his sour mood.

"Enjolras," Called Grantaire, "one quick thing."

"Yes?"

"Pull the stick out of your ass."

* * *

Eponine held a large Tupperware bowl as walked next to her sister as they made their way to Enjolras house. Their parents had both decided to disappear that day or really that weekend, but the girls didn't mind seeing as they had other plans. Azelma was more than thrilled when Eponine told her about the dinner at Enjolras, not only could they actually celebrate the holiday this year but they would be surrounded by guys Azelma deemed as hot. Azelma was the polar opposite of Eponine in the fact that she was a big time romantic, though she had never fallen in love. She dreamed of handsome boys and midnight kisses and running off into the sunset, where her sister grew up at an early age and saw things through a more realistic lens. She couldn't help but smile when she found out that it was Enjolras' house they were going to, much like most girls she was a little fond of Enjolras, and she spent over an hour going through several outfits until she found the perfect one. Eponine tried her hold back her laugh when she saw Azelma twirl into the living room wearing a long-sleeved light pink dress that came just above her knees and a silver chain necklace and white flats. Her hair was perfectly curled and decorated with a small pink flower and she had the smallest amount of mascara and lip gloss. Eponine put a little less effort into her outfit but she really couldn't care either way, she hung out with the guys all the time and this time wasn't any different.

"How nice do you think his house is?" Azelma blurted excitedly.

"Huh?"

"Enjolras' house, how nice do you think it is?"

"I don't know," she shrugged, "I'm guessing it will be decently nice. Probably two-story, somewhat of a yard and a white picket fence."

"So you are not expecting anything?"

"Nothing that will really surprise me"

Eponine couldn't have been more wrong. The second her eyes landed on the house they widened to the size of saucers, she had to double-check the address she was send just to make sure it wasn't the wrong one. The house was more of a mansion, it was three stories –each was the length of two floors of a regular house - the yard was gigantic, a marble fountain stood in the middle of it all and the entire thing was surround by a tall metal gate.

"Wow…" she said breathlessly

Azelma smirked, "Weren't expecting this now were ya?"

"No not at all."

They timidly walked up to the large double doors that served as the front door and Eponine juggled to balance the Tupperware between her hip and arm as the other one reached up to knock the door, apparently Azelma was too busy doing some last-minute touch ups. She smiled when she saw Enjolras and the guys open the door.

"Hiya!" Eponine exclaimed happily as she tipped her brown cap.

"Hey" Greeted Enjolras as he smiled brightly at Eponine, glancing over her outfit. She was wearing a brown skirt that came just above her knees and a white blouse with a brown belt under her tan coat and her brown combat boots. Her hair hung loosely on her shoulders with a natural and her usual brown hat placed firmly on her head. He looked over at the girl next to her, who he assumed was her sister, and noticed that while they resembled each other they couldn't have seemed anymore different.

"Nice to see you here"

She strolled into the room without another thought, "You didn't think that I would miss out on this did you?"

"Seeing as you had no better option…."

"Shut up." She snapped playfully as she placed the bowl on the table.

Enjolras raised his hands in defense, "What's in the bowl?"

"Food"

Enjolras raised an eyebrow at her.

Eponine giggled, "I didn't want to come empty-handed so I brought mashed potatoes."

"My favorite"

"Mine too!" she smiled

Azelma stepped up from behind her, "I brought stuffing."

Feuilly smiled from his spot against the wall, "Good thinking."

"Thank you." She blushed, Eponine rolled her eyes at her but she was the only one who noticed.

It was at that moment that Grantaire strode into the room, a metal object in his hand.

"Have no fear anyone I found the key to the liquor cabinet!"

" Oh no..." Both Eponine and Enjolras groaned in unison

"Is that really necessary?" asked Enjolras, if there was anything worse than Grantaire it was a drunken Grantaire.

"Well of course, we want to have fun don't we?"

"So does that mean we can kick you out?" Eponine asked sarcastically

"Hilarious Eppy," he said mockingly. He was about to come up with some crude comment when he noticed a girl standing right next to Eponine, his entire mood light up. "Who's your friend?"

She looked appalled, "Excuse me?"

"When Courfeyrac said you were bringing a guest I didn't know he meant her." He said eyeing Azelma who in turn blushed and gave a shy smile.

Eponine pounced between them. "Oh no, don't even think about it!"

"Think about what?"

Her face scrunched up in irritation, "Richard Albert Grantaire stay away from my sister!"

"Eponine!" exclaimed Azelma

Grantaire's eyes widened in surprise, "_She's_ your sister?"

Gavroche snickered, "Your middle name is Albert?"

"But how can she be your sister?" Grantaire asked in shock, "I mean she is hot and you're…"

Eponine placed her hands on her hips and stared him down, "You really want to finish that sentence?"

"No not really."

"Smart boy, I'm starting to see how you manage to get through school."

"Thank you Eppy…wait a minute…."

Everyone laughed at that and soon all drama was forgotten.

After that they all hung out around the first floor of Enjolras' house. Both Eponine and Enjolras took it upon themselves to make sure that Grantaire didn't break into the liquor cabinet but somehow he gotten access in the five seconds that neither saw him and snatched a bottle of white wine from the shelve. In the living room Gavroche and Azelma talked for a while caught up as they hadn't really talked to each other since he left, while Marius –who finally showed up after an hour - was ranting to Joly non-stop about Cosette and how he wished she could have come but that she had other plans with her father and couldn't make it. Eponine lasted all of two minutes within earshot before scurrying out of there, it was thanksgiving and she for one did not want to spend it hearing about Marius and his girlfriend.

"Couldn't handle the noise?" she heard a voice ask

"Nope, it was too loud." she responded swiftly, "Tell me, why didn't you ever mention you lived in a mansion?"

Enjolras shrugged, "It never popped up; you should know what that's like."

"Touché"

They stood in the large open area in the middle of the dining room, kitchen, and living room and surveyed the entire first floor, though Eponine mostly kept her sights on Grantaire as she seemed to not want to take her warning about leaving Azelma alone too seriously. Enjolras handed her a Sprite and for a while neither said anything but they didn't mind, they knew each other well enough to tell when the other needed space.

After a few minutes Eponine got tired of the silence and walked over to join everyone else in the living room. The atmosphere was lively and it transfered to Eponine. The second she walked in she was happier than before, even sitting in the sofa next to Enjolras proved to make her more energetic. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a guitar perched on a stand in the corner of the room.

"Who plays guitar?" she asked

"I do." Enjolras replied factually

"Really?"

"Yep." He said as she took another sip of his Coke.

Eponine jumped up from the sofa and galloped over to the corner to get the guitar. "Play something for us."

Enjolras almost choked on his coke. "What?"

"You heard me." She teased as she handed the guitar to him.

"I don't have anything prepared."

"You must have something in that pretty head of yours."

"Aww you think I'm pretty?"

She rolled her eyes, "Yea sure...Come on Enjy please just do something."

For a moment he said nothing and the two of them had a stare off.

"Ooh," commented Courfeyrac, "battle of the stubborn. I wonder who will win."

"My money's on Eponine." stated Grantaire

"Five bucks?" challenged Courfeyrac

"You're on."

The other two kept holding their ground but eventually one of them cracked.

"Fine I'll do it!" exclaimed Enjolras, having enough of it.

Courfeyrac coughed up $5 to Grantaire.

Eponine gleamed. "Yes! I knew you would see it my way."

He rolled his eyes at her, "Whatever 'Ponine"

He picked up the guitar and strummed a few chords before figuring out the correct one and began playing away. At first he simply played but before long he sang along to the melody as well.

"Your Eyes. As We Said Our Goodbyes  
Can't Get Them Out Of My Mind  
And I Find I Can't Hide From  
Your Eyes  
The Ones That Took Me By Surprise  
The Night You Came Into My Life  
Where There's Moonlight  
I See Your Eyes"

He looked over at Eponine who sat next to him. She smiled broadly at him and urged him to go on. Reluctantly he continued singing.

"How'd I Let You Slip Away  
When I'm Longing So To Hold You  
Now I'd Die For One More Day  
'Cause There's Something I Should  
Have Told You  
Yes There's Something I Should Have  
Told You

When I Looked Into Your Eyes  
Why Does Distance Make Us Wise?  
You Were The Song All Along  
And Before The Song Dies

I Should Tell You I Should Tell You  
I Have Always Loved You  
You Can See It In My Eyes"

The second he finished the room was filled with a round of applause to which Enjolras shook his head in slight annoyance but he smiled as well.

Eponine beamed at him, "Enjolras that was amazing."

"Why thank you."

"You really are perfect aren't you? I mean you are a star student, leader, athlete, and you can sing and play guitar too! Is there anything you can't do?"

"He can't date." Grantaire answered for him, laughing loudly.

"Very funny Grantaire." Enjolras replied dryly, though he had to admit he did enjoy it a bit and Eponine's reaction made him feel all the better.

After another hour or so everyone proclaimed that they were hungry and made the unanimous decision to eat. They all rushed to the table and took up seats like hot cakes. Courfeyrac and Grantaire sat on either side of Gavroche and Eponine tried to intercept the open seat next to Grantaire but Azelma beat her too it so she ended up sitting at the head of the table next to Enjolras.

Enjolras had been worried that his small meal wouldn't be enough to fill everyone up but luckily almost everyone had brought something and their makeshift Thanksgiving meal looked pretty good. Besides what he set out and what Courfeyrac and Gavroche, and Azelma and Eponine brought, there was also three types of chicken on part of Joly, corn bread and casserole due to Combeferre, salad and gravy from Feuilly, and more pie and pudding thanks to Marius. Looking over the table, it was better than what he would have had on his own.

They all dug into the delicious meal and savored each bite. They all had their own reasons for being alone on Thanksgiving, some were more tragic than others but no one pressed anyone. As they ate Grantaire and Courfeyrac began telling joked and stories to which Azelma would giggle over enthusiastically as she playfully hit Grantaire's arm, much in spite of Eponine's constant glaring.

Enjolras leaned over to her shoulder and whispered in her ear. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were jealous."

Eponine scoffed, "You're kidding right? I just don't like the idea of Grantaire getting close to my sister, it gives me chills."

"Why?"

"If you had a sister would you want her to date Grantaire?"

Enjolras nodded in realization, "Fair point."

Grantaire notice his two headstrong friends whispering to each other with devilish smirks on their faces, "What on Earth are you two discussing?"

Eponine snapped her head up and shook her head playfully, "I was just thanking Enjolras for being so kind as to allow us to spend Thanksgiving here at his place."

"Really now?" he asked suspiciously

"Yes, it's a good idea to show thankfulness being that it is _Thanks_giving."

"Touché Thenardier."

"You know what I'm thankful for?" asked Marius dreamily

"Cosette!" Everyone groaned at once.

"Whoa, no need to get so aggravated, I was just starting a fact."

"Yeah, we know, we all have ears." Sneered Eponine

"And patience." Added Enjolras

"Oh wow tough crowd." He muttered bitterly, "But…..there is something that I am thankful for more than Cosette"

"Really what?" asked Combeferre

Marius took a breath and looked over at everyone as they pulled their heads in close.

"Eponine" He proclaimed proudly

Everyone looked at him in shock, no one expected to hear that.

"Really?" she asked, touched by his words.

"Of course, if not for you I would never have gotten together with Cosette."

"Oh…." She replied, her face dropping but no one seemed to notice.

Enjolras did, however, notice, "I'm just thankful to have her for a friend." He said, noticing her smile at him right after he did so.

"You say that now but you wouldn't have thought that three years ago."

Azelma cocked her head at him, "What do you mean?"

"Let's just say Eponine wasn't always on his good side."

"Oh no, we are not telling them that story!" Eponine exclaimed

Grantaire took this as the perfect opportunity for story time. "We aren't," he stated, "But I am."

"No….."Eponine groaned and threw her head back, her hands pulling down her hat as Grantaire went on to tell the story.

_Enjolras was walking down the hall to meet up with his counselor, it was his sophomore year and he wanted to see Enjolras to tell him that he had been nominated as Student Government president for the next term. Enjolras could hardly believe it, only his sophomore year and he had already landed into three AP classes, made the football team twice, got into speech and made it to the top three at conference, and now president! He told his friends the details as they walked down the hall to their lockers after school. He was so happy that he didn't see the figure walking down the hall until he crashed right into it, or rather her, and brought them both down to the floor._

_"Are you blind?! Watch where you are going!" she shouted in anger_

_"My apologize miss." He said as he got up and looked down at the girl at his feet. She had thick black hair and eyes to watch, her jeans were ripped and she had a look on her face that seemed ready to kill. Her entire demeanor seemed to say she was not someone to mess with._

_"Aren't you a formal one." She commented sarcastically_

_"I said sorry." He stated plainly as he extended a hand out to her. She refused and instead picked herself up and dusted off. "Are you alright?" he asked_

_"Yea just fine" she said but as she took a step he couldn't help but notice her limp slightly._

_"Are you sure? You seem hurt."_

_"I'm perfectly fine! I don't need your help, not every girl is a damsel in distress you know." She exclaimed as she drove herself right past him and through his friends who were watching nearby._

_"Ok then, have a good day." He said warily, hardly believing that girls response. He turned to his friends, "Can you believe her?"_

_"What are you so surprised that a girl actually talked back to you?" joked Grantaire_

_"I didn't do anything, it was an accident."_

_"Whatever," commented Jehan,"You probably won't ever deal with her again."_

_"Yeah you're right."_

_He couldn't have been more wrong. The next day at Student Government their friend Marius decided to bring a friend to the meeting, and that friend had been none other than the girl he literally bumped into the day before. When she walked in she noticed Enjolras at the head of the table speaking and rolled her eyes but refrained from saying anything. But she still had that take-no crap attitude. At one point during the meeting Grantaire opened the window, causing a big commotion between him and Enjolras as it was freezing outside and he wanted to shut it. The two bickered over the window and didn't even notice an annoyed girl strutting right past them until she went over to the window and slammed it shut. They both turned to face her as she leaned against the wall with her arms over her chest and a defiant look on her face._

_"If something as little as a window occupies that much of your attention I fear for the school."_

_With that she rolled her eyes and walked back over to Marius leaving both Grantaire and Enjolras with mouths wide open._

_She kept mum again until the topic of school welfare and financial aid came up and Enjolras decided to mention something that ticked her off. They spent the rest of the meeting debating against each other, with her claiming that he had no right to assume how anyone felt seeing as he was well off and never had to deal with anything like they did. Although the room was full of people no one stepped in to say anything, they were all just too surprised that someone was actually holding their ground against Enjolras._

_From that confrontation on it was safe to say that neither liked the other very much and any time they say each other; she would narrow her eyes before turning away aggressively while Enjolras scoffed at her. It wasn't until much later that they actually got along._

"Oh why did you have to tell that story?!" she exclaimed in frustration

"Because it's a fun story" Grantaire happily answered

"Not for me!"

What no one knew was how the two actually stopped bickering, but that was a secret only the two knew.

_It wasn't until a few weeks later that they actually let their guards down._ _Enjolras had been walking down the main entrance to the main office to discuss a proposal for a new financial aid program in the school when he notice someone else talking to the principal, it was her. She been caught picking the lock on the vending machine and it was time to deal with the music. Enjolras remembered seeing her by the machine but what he also noticed was that she didn't actually take anything, she only picked the lock for someone else – it was a tall boy he remembered and while he took a stash of things she only picked up the three things he dropped, and of those three things she gave away two of them and split the other one with a girl who looked way too skinny. The girl finished her meeting with principal Javert and in the end she got three day's detention. He couldn't believe that she didn't rat the other guy out or even try to defend herself. She saw him but this time she didn't glare; she looked him square in the eye and nodded, not looking the least bit scared or ashamed._

_His view on her changed that day and it changed again after he heard about her defend Marius against the school gang, fire in her eyes as she challenged them fearlessly. After that day Maris brought around at lunch a lot more and it was safe to assume that they began to warm up to each other, or at least stop glaring. He also learned that her name was Eponine._

Another hour passed and everyone went around the table telling embarrassing stories and jokes about each other, mostly at Enjolras' expense; after while he couldn't take it anymore.

"Who is up for something else?" he asked

"Like what?" scoffed Grantaire as he sipped his wine

"I don't know football? It is thanksgiving after all."

"That sounds like a great idea!" exclaimed Gavroche, "I always wanted to throw around the old cow-skin on Thanksgiving." Everyone laughed, "What's so funny?"

"It's pig-skin Gavroche, not cow-skin." Corrected Enjolras

"Oh…."

* * *

They all gathered around in Enjolras' football field of a yard, though it was late November the weather wasn't terribly cold and it was defiantly nice enough for a game. In the end almost everyone had joined in, take away Joly who was scared he would catch a virus after seeing a horror story of a documentary and Azelma who didn't want to get dirty. Eponine almost didn't play seeing as she was in a skirt but they needed her for even teams so Enjolras offered to let her wear some of his sweats for the game.

"I don't think I'll have shoes that fit you though."

She shrugged as she looked down at her feet and wiggled the tips of her boots. "It's all good, my trusty boots can handle a football game. They are meant for action."

"If you say so."

As she walked up behind Enjolras up to his room she couldn't help but admire the house.

_This place is amazing._

As they kept going she couldn't help but notice a room with an open door. It looked very dark and she could see painting and sheet music shattered all over the room.

"If you don't mind my asking, whose room is that?"

Enjolras looked over his shoulder, stiffening a bit before answering. "My brother's." He said simply. He didn't give anymore of an explanation before continuting on.

"I didn't know you had a brother."

"I didn't know you did either." he replied grimly as they entered his room

She raised an eyebrow, "Did I say something wrong?"

Enjolras sighed, "No. I apologize, it's just that me and my brother aren't really that close. In fact we don't really get along."

"I get it." she replied, "Family issues aren't really something I like to discuss either."

Enjolras was about to ask what she meant when she strode past him and walked up to the shelves filled with trophies and plaques decorating his wall. She looked over them all, they were from different events such as football, speech, scholastic bowl, basketball, Student Government, even music.

She let out a low whistle, "Wow, you sure have a lot of awards don't you."

He shrugged, "Yeah I guess I do."

"I'm suprized you have enough shelf space for them all."

"That's why we had to keep buying shelves."

She bend over them and ran a finger across them, "And your dad still isn't proud of you."

"He was never around when I got them."

"Really?"

"Yep, I would walk up to the stage alone, get the award them come home and place it on the shelve, but the pride would end there. No one has ever really shared the moment with me or told me they were proud."

Eponine smiled at him, "I'm proud of you Aiden."

"Thank you." He said as he returned the smile. Without another though he went over to his dresser and took out a bunch of his sweats and work out clothes. He laid them on the bed and turned toward Eponine again. "Here you go, you can just pick out whatever fits you best."

She cocked her eyebrow devilishly, "Can I choose anything?"

"Sure." He stated as he turned to walk out the door. "I'll meet you downstairs."

"Alright, I'll be out in a sec." She said, though on the inside she had a fun idea enter her mind.

Everyone was waiting in the yard when she finally reappeared with her hair in a loose braid hanging on her shoulder and wearing Enjolras' running pants and West End Rebels football jersey.

Enjolras saw her and looked slightly shocked but he laughed it off and as soon as Eponine walked over to join them he commented on how much he liked her shirt.

Courfeyrac leaned over to Grantaire, "I never thought I'd see the day when Enjolras gives up his jersey to a girl."

Grantaire chuckled, "Then again it is Eponine so can we really count this?"

"Any girl counts, besides it's closer than he will ever get."

They both started laughing so hard their sides hurt, making everyone else look at them in confusion.

"What's so funny?" asked Enjolras

"Oh nothing." Said Grantaire, wiping a tear from his eye

Not wanting to dwell on that anymore they all quickly got into teams. In the end it was Enjolras, Courfeyrac, Grantaire and Gavroche against Marius, Feuilly, Combeferre and Eponine with Azelma and Joly acting as the team cheerleaders.

Enjolras' team got the ball first and they went right into it. They thought it would be an easy win, considering he was the star quarterback and Grantaire was also on the school team, not to mention that Gavroche was small and nimble so he could run through them all with the ball without a problem, but they forgot Eponine was just as nimble and none of the guys really felt comfortable tackling her and she proved to use that to her advantage.

By the end of the game the teams were neck and neck and the last touchdown was the breaking point. At one point in Enjolras was getting thrown the ball by Courfeyrac and he didn't notice Eponine standing right next to him. He was just about to catch the ball when Eponine acted out of instint and hopped on his back and clung onto him in an attempt to tackle him and bring him down. The two wobbled around for a few moments before colliding in the floor.

"FUMBLE!" yelled Azelma from the sidelines.

Enjolras looked over at Eponine who lay next to him, the wind knocked out of them both.

"You alright?" he asked worriedly

"Yeah," she groaned, "just peachy. Would you lift me up?" she said extending her hand to him

Enjolras sighed and took her hand, pulling her up so she could stand next to him.

"Was that really necessary?"

"Yep." She said annunciating the 'p' as she dusted the dirt off herself.

"You really have a thing for climbing unto people's back don't you?"

She smirked gleefully, "I find it fun."

Marius came running over with Joly in tow, "Wow 'Ponine are you ok? That looked like it hurt."

"Yeah I'm perfectly fine." She answered simply.

She answered all too soon though, the second she took her first step she stumbled a bit and almost fell back to the ground. Luckily Enjolras reacted quickly and wrapped an arm around her waist to support her.

"Thank you." She muttered as he helped her straighten up, he kept his arm around her as she leaned on him.

Joly looked at her questionably, "Are you sure you are ok?"

"Yea, I'll just walk it off."

It was then that Joly notice a giant scrap on her arm and a bruise forming on the other one.

"Eponine, you're hurt. You need some help." Joly stated worriedly, "Those marks look nasty."

"Eh, I've had worse."

Enjolras raised an eyebrow, "Oh have you now?"

Eponine grimaced internally, catching her mistake. "Oh well I-"

"Eponine!" Exclaimed Grantaire as he came over toward them, "That was amazing! I don't I've ever seen anyone take down Enjolras like that before."

She smiled, "I try." She sighed on the inside, relived that Grantaire took the attention away from her bruises.

They all noted that the sun was setting and it was getting dark.

"So what do you guys want to do now?" asked Marius

"Well I don't know about you," stated Eponine, "but I've had enough football for a day."

"Agreed." Complied Enjolras, still sore due to Eponine tackling him

"Well the night is young." Noted Grantaire, "Who's up for a late night move?"

"I'm game." Responded Eponine and with that everyone headed back inside to clean off and head out for the movie.

Enjolras waited at the bottom of the stairs for Eponine while she changed. After he helped her into the house he sat her down at the kitchen table and forced her to stay their while Joly inspected her cut and cleaned it off. He stood there awhile and he couldn't help but replay Eponine's words in his mind as he waited.

_I've had worse._

He knew it was an off-handed comment but something about the past months events, including Gavroche leaving the house and him having to keep Eponine from it, made the wheels in his head start turning once again. When she came down he glanced over her and he realized that like today he had more often than not seen a bruise on Eponine that wasn't there the day before or a scar that shouldn't belong. He knew he might have been over reacting but he was going to get answers one way or another.


	23. Chapter 23

Eponine sat shotgun in Enjolras car with Azelma, Gavroche and Grantaire sitting in the back; Marius and Courfeyrac taking Marius car to the movies while the others simply called it a night and went home. As they drove on Eponine couldn't help but continuously glance at the people in the back seat through the rearview mirror. She was particularly proud of herself for placing Gavroche in between her sister and Grantaire, not only did they have a buffer but she had shot gun, it was a win-win situation in her opinion. The night was young with the sun barley starting to disappear and per Grantaire's suggestion they were all heading to the theater. Dinner was fun but they were teenagers and they preferred something a little more fun. They still didn't know what movie they were going to see, they didn't even know what movies were out, they decided they would choose once they got there.

The car ride was full of laughs, with Grantaire sneakily trying to converse with Azelma much to Eponine's dismay, but thankfully Gavroche loved annoying the two of them as much as Eponine hated the fact that Grantaire was getting a thing for her sister. Enjolras kept his eyes on the road and tried to keep a serious composition but even he couldn't help the smirk from playing on his face as he listened in on the interactions going on between everyone. Gavroche took upon himself to say something that made both Azelma and Grantaire turn red with embarrassment; Eponine settled back into her seat and faced forward, proud of Gavroche for having such a smart tongue and proud of herself for teaching him it.

Enjolras saw the smirk on her face, "You seem rather pleased."

She shrugged, "What can I say; I'm proud of my little brother."

"He gets his sass from you."

"I know." she said smugly "It's a nice feeling."

Enjolras chuckled under his breathe and the two looked out into the road through the windshield, neither saying anything more.

They finally arrived at the mall, the theater was inside, and even thought it was early on Thanksgiving evening there were several cars parked outside and people set up in a line in front of the Best Buy store nearby. As Eponine got out of the car and joined Enjolras' side she couldn't help but scrunch up her nose at the people in line.

"I never understood why people prefer spending their thanksgiving outside in the cold for hours just so they can get the latest thingamabob."

"For sale…" added Grantaire as he overheard her comment

Eponine rolled her eyes at the boy but nonetheless continued her conversation with Enjolras as if the others weren't there.

"I still don't understand it."

"Some people are just more concerned with things like that."

"I get that, but I mean have you seen how some people act at these black Friday sales? Honestly they fight, cheat, and cause a rampage…it's a bit frightening."

Enjolras rolled his eyes at her, "Well as long you don't go then I am sure there is nothing to be frightened about."

She scoffed, "Like I would ever step foot in a black Friday say….but it's not the fact that one could get hurt that scares me Aiden, it's the fact that people are capable of going on a full on rampage just to get a TV for 50% off."

"75%" corrected Grantaire

"Shut it wine-cask." Eponine snarled.

Azelma and Gavroche laughed at Eponine's outburst to which Eponine brushed off and they kept walking. Marius and Courfeyrac were already waiting for them right in front of the theater; as soon as they saw them they shot up and automatically began discussing movies. Azelma suggested _Breaking Dawn Part 2 _causing everyone to groan and gang up against her.

"Oh calm down it's just a suggestion." she pouted

Marius then suggested _Flight_ to which Eponine said no because Gavroche was only 10 and she was not allowed to let him be completely traumatized. Azelma suggested another movie but it was a chick flick and again she was met with a large supply of complaints. The same happened when Enjolras thought of both Lincoln and Life of Pi. In the end Courfeyrac said _Skyfall_ and they all agreed it was the best option. As they approached the box office Eponine noticed that Grantaire paid for Azelma's ticket, she rolled her eyes at his attempt to flirt, while Courfeyrac paid for Gavroche. Enjolras was next up in line and while he bought his ticket she started to dig into her pocket for money for hers, luckily she had gotten paid two days ago and she brought $20 with her. However when she went up to get her ticket at the box office she suddenly felt a hand grab her arm and pull her out of line. She turned to see none other than Enjolras.

"What the hell?! I was just about to get my ticket now I am going to have to go all the way back-"

She was cut off by Enjolras raising his hand next to her face, two tickets held in it. Eponine sighed, both from embarrassment and a little irritation. She took her ticker and placed her hand on her hips.

"You didn't have to do that you know."

"Not exactly the response I was looking for but I'll take it." he said as he walked on

She gave him a confused look before joining him in stride.

"What exactly were you looking for?"

"Oh I don't know a thank you perhaps."

Realization fell through Eponine as she rubbed a spot right above her eyebrow with two fingers. "I'm sorry Enjy where are my manners, thank you for the ticket."

"There we go, and it was no problem Ep-"  
"But you still didn't have to do it." She interrupted

_Should have known it was too good to be true_ he thought

"I could have paid for my own ticket."

"I know but I wanted to pay." he said plainly

"Why?"

"You do so much for everyone else; I thought it was high time someone did something for you." The way he spoke made it seem like it was the simplest thing in the world. He glanced over at her and saw a shy smile on her face. However in the distance behind her was also Pontmercy who was texting idly away on his phone and Enjolras' face looked solemn again. "I'm just sorry that you aren't getting anything from the person you want it from most."

Eponine glanced behind her and saw Marius as well. She turned back to Enjolras with a pondering look on her face; her bottom was being bitten on the side by her teeth and her eyes looked curious. She licked her lips before continuing. "Maybe he isn't what I need. I'll get over him in due time."

"I'm glad to hear that." He said with a slight nod

The group went on into the theater and found their seats, the room was quite empty and they were able to sit up in the middle with out anyone being near them, Eponine even propped her feet up on the seat in front of her and made herself comfortable. Marius sat next to her and Enjolras' hoodie was on the other side of her, the man was apparently doing something important but would be back soon, right in front of her was Gavroche with Courfeyrac and Grantaire on either side of him while Azelma was on the other side of Grantaire. As much as Eponine hated the thought of Grantaire and Azelma next to each other for two hours in a dark room that was almost empty she wasn't in the mood to get all snarky, there were time and places for that and it wasn't either of them currently.

The movie started and all the chatter stopped. The trailers for some of the movies interested the gang but none really sparked their attention. Enjolras finally snuck back in and took his seat next to Eponine. The smell of butter swarmed her nose and she looked over to see Enjolras had three tubs of popcorn with him, he gave one for Courfeyrac and Gavroche to share, another to Azelma and Grantaire and the third was for Marius, Eponine and himself but Marius was too busy working on his phone to take any popcorn. Eventually the actual movie started and everyone's attention was focused in on it. While it was a good movie Eponine found herself not being able to really pay attention, she put her elbow on the armrest and placed her chin in her hand, something ticking at the back of her mind. Before long she found herself dozing off a little before sleep completely overtook her.

The next thing she knew her nose was filled with a familiar, comforting smell and she opened her eyes to realize she was resting her head on someone's shoulder. She tilted her head up slowly to see Enjolras' head attached to the shoulder she was on. She automatically shot up and positioned herself so her body was fully facing the large screen, her cheeks turning slightly pink.

"Sorry." she muttered to him

"Don't worry about it." he whispered back

"So what did I miss?" she asked as she took a handful of popcorn from the tub sitting in his lap, he had left a good portion of popcorn for her.

"Not much." He quickly filled her in on the movie's plot so far and she was caught up rather quickly.

She found that she had actually slept through most of the movie and within 20 minutes it was over. The lights turned on slowly and everyone stood up to stretch and walk out of the theater. It was almost midnight and Eponine wiped the sleep off her face as she walked on and tried to block out Marius rambling to Courfeyrac about Cosette. They were just about to leave the mall when they noticed that in celebration of black Friday Sears was having a big sale as well. Something in Marius' head clicked and he automatically took Eponine's hand and tugged her in the direction of the story.

"Marius where are you going?"

"There is a big sale and I remember that there was something in the store that Cosette really liked when we were here last week."

She looked at him as if he was insane, "And?"  
"What better time to get it than now? Her birthday is soon."

"How soon is soon?"

"9 days." he answered automatically

"Marius its black Friday soon, do you know how many insane people are going to be there? You will get pummeled."

"That's why I need you."

Her face fell in annoyance, "Gee thanks."

"Oh you know what I mean, if there is one person I can trust to have my back in the face of combat it's you 'Ponine!"

Everyone stared at the two with curiosity, thinking Marius was an idiot for even suggesting it. Enjolras in particular was looking at Eponine with concern; she had made it crystal clear that she hated Black Friday sales and the rioting that came with it, but than again he feared she might put her in the middle of it. Eponine looked at her best friend hesitantly, she didn't like big crowds, especially ones that were willing to tear you apart to get their hands on a HD TV but she loved Marius and the look on his face was too much for her to handle.

"Ok fine, but 15 minutes and we're out!"

Everyone else decided to stay behind and wait for them, knowing the chaos in the store was not something they wanted to deal with. Eponine started to walk off with Marius when Enjolras grabbed her arm.  
"Are you sure about this?"

She shrugged nervously and gave a forced smile, "What's the worst that could happen?"

* * *

30 minutes had passed and Eponine and Marius were still in Sears, with Eponine getting more and more nervous every second. She had already witness two people get into a fight over a laptop and she just wanted to get out.

_Stupid things I do for Marius!_

Just then the very same man came running in with a box in his hand. He looked very triumphant and held it proudly as he made his way to Eponine who was standing by the shoes.

"I got it 'Ponine!"

She grinned, "What did you get?"

"It's a kindle, I remember how she said she loved to read but her books made to much clutter I thought she would like this."

"I'm sure she will."

He gave it to Eponine to hold on to while he went off to where the cases were and she trailed after him, he gave her case after case and things for her to look over and give her opinion on. Finally they selected a good case and made there way to the cashier. Marius glided through people, not even noticing their glares as he bumped into him while Eponine sped walk and kept her gaze down.

_Look down look down don't look them in the eye…_She thought to herself

They were just about to get in line when yet another thing distracted Marius. Eponine rolled her eyes as she stood next to him and he began to peer over some random object. A figure came behind Eponine and tapped her shoulder; she turned to see a man in a Sears's employee T-shirt.

"Hello ma'am, we would be happy to ring those up at register for you." he smiled

Eponine looked over him, something about him making her feel off, "Thank you but no thanks, we're fine."

"Are you sure, it's no trouble at all." He said, reaching over at the box she was holding  
"Yes I'm positive." she replied cautiously, moving back slowly.

"Please I insist." his tone a bit more demanding

"No!" she yelped with that she ran in the other direction, the man hot on her heels. She knew something was off about him, it was fairly easy to get a Sears T-shirt, and she was right, the guy just wanted the kindle. She stopped right in front of the escalator and looked over her shoulder to see if the guy was still following her, big mistake!

The guy was right there and he lunged for the box. His expression was full of rage and frustration, something Eponine was all too familiar with. She kept her grip on the box and held it protectively. She was now facing the one thing she didn't want to deal with, maniacs at Black Friday sales. He came at her again, knocking over a lit lamp that was standing near them; he got a grip on the box and tried to pry it from Eponine's hands aggressively.

"Over my dead body!" she yelled before swinging her leg out and kicking him in the groin. The man coward in pain and let go of the box, but unfortunately the triumph only lasted a second for the moment that he let go Eponine lost her balance and began to fall. She forgot she was standing by the escalators and instead of hitting the floor automatically she tumbled down step after step, pain shooting in every time. When she finally stopped her ankle was full of pain and her wrist throbbed as well. She could feel scraped forming on her face as well as a bit of blood trickling down her cheek. She tried to push herself up but echoed through her body when she did. After another three attempts she finally made herself sit up, she noticed that she still had the kindle in her hand and unlike her the box barley had a scratch or dent in it.

_Oh sure the box it alright, but Eponine has to take the pain_.

She willed herself to stand and she leaned against the wall, fairly confident that she could get back to Marius then the sounds of screams stopped her. She looked up to see a fire staring near where she just was.

_The lamp!_

She could see the silhouettes of people running around frantically and fear filled her stomach. She couldn't get back up the way she came down but she couldn't stay where she was either. She glanced down at the kindle again

_Stupid box! You see what I put up with for you!?_

She limped around the lower level as fast as her legs would allow, smoke filling her lungs every second, until finally she came to a door, it led to the outside of the mall but when she tried to open it she found that she was too weak to do so at the moment.  
"Hello!" she yelled, "Anyone there?"

"Eponine?" said a voice on the other side

"Enjolras!? Is that you?!"

"Yea it's all of us, we ran outside as soon as the fire started. Are you ok?"

"Yeah *cough* I'm *cough* fine. Is Marius with you guys?"

"Yea I'm right there 'Ponine."

She sighed in relief, "Oh good, I was worried you were suck up *cough* in the fire."

Enjolras spoke next, standing next to the glass door, "Can you get out?"

Eponine tried to open the door again, "No I can't get the door open; I think it's stuck."

Enjolras paused before acknowledging the other boys, "Ok hang on I'm coming in! Get back"

With that Eponine stepped back and the next thing she saw were the four boys prying the door open. Eponine took no chance and as soon as she saw the door open she threw herself out the opening and straight into Enjolras' arms. He was taken back by her sudden weight in his arms but he held her up nonetheless. She began coughing violently and Enjolras took that moment to look down at her, she certainly looked like she had been through hell and back. She had blood on her face and she smelled of smoke, plus her ankle was giving way. She slowly turned in his arms and faced Marius who was across from them, taking out the box and shoving it in his hands, shock plauging his face.

"And this is why I hate Black Friday." She said sternly before she passed out.

* * *

**One last thing, can anyone make me a cover art for this, i suck at that. Please I will love you forever and ever!**


	24. Chapter 24

Enjolras had a heart attack as the girl in his arms suddenly fell limp. Just moments ago they had all let out a sigh of relief when they found and rescued Eponine but now they were all huddling near in worry and freight.

"Eponine!" cried Azelma and Gavroche as they neared their older sister; tears formed in Azelma's eyes while Gavroche looked scared for his life.

Enjolras took two fingers and gently placed then right in where her neck and jaw line met, to his relief her heartbeat was strong and even, without even thinking he scooped her up and cradled her, her head now resting on his chest.

"We need to get her some help." he said sternly.

No one questioned him; all at once they ran straight for their cars. Marius strode right alongside him, keeping up with his pace, his sights focused on Eponine. As soon as they got to Enjolras' car Marius opened the back door and allowed Enjolras to place Eponine in there before he slid into the passenger seat. As soon as Enjolras got in they sped off, the others were taking Marius' car with Courfeyrac behind the wheel, normally Marius would never let anyone, let alone Courfeyrac, have the keys to his beloved car; however these were not normal circumstances.

While Enjolras kept his eyes on the road Marius continuously looked back at the unconscious girl in the back of the car; if he hadn't known any better it would have looked as if she was sleeping, her face looked very peaceful and there was a rhythmic rise and fall to her chest with each breath she took. However he did know better and guilt plagued him. His gaze was still on Eponine when he heard Enjolras swear and Marius automatically turned in his seat to see the cause. It took him all of three seconds to see the problem, just a quarter mile up ahead there was a serious traffic jam, most likely caused by all the people trying to leave the mall that night after the incident. The cars all honked at each other but none moved and in the distance the sirens and flashing lights of the emergency responders could be seen and heard heading toward them.

"This is not good." Marius muttered under his breath

"Yeah no shit." replied Enjolras coldly. Marius looked at him in shock, Enjolras hardly ever swore.

However Enjolras did not let Marius reaction to him get in his head, instead he turned onto some smaller empty roads so to stay off the main one that was now blocked off: from the rearview mirror he could see the other car follow them.

"Now what are we going to do?!" exclaimed Marius

"Well I sure as hell don't know! Getting to the hospital is out of question due to the road block and I am damn sure the paramedics won't be able to get to us very quickly either if we stay on this side of the jam. We just need to get somewhere safe and secure that Eponine could rest while we wait for the jam to clear up; somewhere the paramedics can meet us…"

Marius went silent as he tried to think of a place they could go, possibly with a first aid kit and with a bit of privacy but was close enough to town that it wouldn't cause a problem.

Suddenly it hit him, "E make a left!"

* * *

Marius rushed to the door and pushed it open as Enjolras came in right behind him, Eponine in tow. As soon he stepped into the room he automatically went toward the large sofa against the wall and gently put her down. Once she was laid down he shrugged off his hoodie and placed it over her like a blanket. He mad to admit he thought Marius had lost it when he suggested going to the café considering it was almost 1 o'clock am but when he called Mr. Myriel and explained everything to him all else just fell into place. Mr. Myriel had rushed over to the café and unlocked it for them while also turning on the lights and setting out the first-aid kit and coffee supplies for them. He couldn't stay but he trusted and cared for the teens, Eponine was his employee and Marius and his friends were the café's best customers, they had been going there since they were kids. Plus the café also had cameras so any funny business would be recorded.

Enjolras looked over at Eponine as he set his hoodie over her, she had seen better days. She was completely covered in soot and dust- especially her face and clothes- the hem of her skirt and shirt were torn but other than some scratches on her arms and face and the small gash on her head she looked alright, thought he couldn't vouch for internal injuries. Marius pulled up a chair and took a seat next to her, right by her head, his face showing pure guilt.

"I called Joly." He said solemnly, "He is on his way, should be here soon."

Enjolras nodded, they had no doctors on speed dial but Joly had taken several first-aid classes, went to medic camp, volunteered at the local clinic and even interned at the hospital, he was just as good as anyone else at the moment.

Marius looked at Eponine sadly, taking her hand in his.

"This is all my fault." He whispered, "I should have listened to you guys. What the hell is wrong with me?"

Enjolras sighed as he took a seat next to Eponine and across from Marius. "Well you aren't wrong; you should have listened to us. It was selfish, reckless and just plain idiotic. Eponine stressed how much she hated Black Friday and with good reason!"

"I know I-"  
Enjolras cut him off, "But it was her own choice to go in with you, to stay for so long and to defend the kindle." He added, as much as he wanted to give Marius a piece of his mind and set him straight he could see that he was already hurt enough as it was.

"I just wish I knew what happened to her in there. Something tells me it had something to do with the cause of the fire."

"Knowing 'Ponine I wouldn't find that surprising"

Marius gave him a weak smile and nodded. Just then they both noticed a small figure enter the room with three others close by. Gavroche and Azelma stood next to each other holding hands with Grantaire behind, a hand on each of their shoulders. Courfeyrac stood by them as well; all had a worried look on their face.

"How is she?" asked Azelma

Enjolras gave her a small smile, "She looking ok. Knowing Eponine she will pull through, she isn't one to go without a fight."

The group all gave a slight chuckle at that, the tension seeming to be lifted just a bit. Azelma followed Grantaire as he took her hand and led her and Gavroche to some large chairs on the opposite side of the room. As they walked over Enjolras stepped up and stopped Courfeyrac.

"Courfeyrac you take Gavroche, we won't know anything till its light." He turned toward everyone else, "Everybody keep the faith for certain the sun as Eponine will be ok." He looked straight at his friend sitting next to Eponine, "Marius rest."

Courfeyrac nodded and took a sleepy looking Gavroche away from the café and to his house, both needed rest. For awhile, no one said anything else and there was a strong tension filled silence throughout the café. Marius fell asleep in his chair next to Eponine, hand still holding hers, and Enjolras stepped out to make himself a cup pf coffee and a cup of hot cocoa for Eponine, hoping she would come through in time to enjoy it. Azelma looked over her sister with worry and tears forming in her eyes, Eponine was always the strong one and now she was worse for wear. She let some tears fall out of her eyes and clung onto Grantaire's hand tightly and he did his best to comfort her.

"Get away from my sister wine-cask." Groaned a small voice, breaking the silence.

Everyone reacted at once and Enjolras ran into the room. They saw Eponine's figure slowly open her eyes. She moaned softly as she started to come to and sit up, Marius automatically reacted and gently pushed her back down.

"No 'Ponine, don't stress yourself out." he stressed

Eponine was shocked but his sudden concern and couldn't help but smile at it, her eyes brightening. Enjolras watched from where he stood nearby, while he was ecstatic and relieved to see that she woke up, there was a small pit in his stomach when he say how Eponine reacted to Marius concern, but he didn't interrupt; he knew she deserved that moment.

Azelma came running toward her and threw her arms around Eponine, pushing her back with her momentum, causing Eponine to hiss in pain.

"Oh Eponine I'm so glad you are ok!" She exclaimed cheerfully

Eponine groaned slightly and moved very stiffly as Azelma let her go. "I'm glad I'm alright to."

"You gave us quite a scare there Eppy." commented Grantaire

She let out a small laugh, "Oh I apologize I had no control over my body blacking out…which brings me to question where I am?"

"The Café" answered Enjolras from where he stood causing Eponine to look over at him, "there was a traffic jam and this was the only place we could take you to wait it out. Joly's been called and he should be here any minute."

Just then the very same guy came running into the café looking very frantic.

"I'm here! Sorry I am so late!" he shrieked as he came in. The second he saw Eponine he stopped in his track and gasped, when Marius said she was hurt he wasn't lying. He automatically got to work and began inspecting her. She hissed a few times when he touched a sensitive or injured part but other than that she was holding up strong. In the end he concluded that along with a sprained wrist and ankle she also had a shoulder injury and possible concussion but without hospital equipment he couldn't tell he extent of the injury. He wrapped her ankle and wrist in an ace bandage before looking at the gash on her head, he cleaned it and sterilized it and saw that it was actually smaller than what it seemed, for now another bandage would do but she would need stitches too.

"I think you will be ok." he said to her as he finished up

"Thank you Joly, I don't know what I would do without you."

"Don't worry about it; just make sure the paramedics fix what I couldn't."

She nodded in understanding, "No problem."

As Joly got up to go talk to Enjolras Marius came and took his seat next to Eponine.

"How you feeling?" He asked

"Better."

"Glad to hear it." He paused before going on, "'Ponine I am really sorry about this, this is all my fault."

She gave him a dry laugh "Yeah no kidding, I told you it was a bad idea to go into Sears. I'm laying here all broken thanks to a stupid kindle that you just had to get."

"For Cosette!" He said, trying to defend himself

She rolled her eyes, "Yes I know it's all about her lately."

He narrowed his eyes, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"What I mean is that ever since you saw her all you ever talk about is her. I mean where have you been?"

"I've been here." he said in confusion

"No, where have you been for the last month. I hardly ever see you anymore and when I do you aren't even yourself; you are hung up on Cosette and can't think of anything but her. Your mind is always in a different place."

"I'm sorry 'Ponine, I never meant to be like that. I just-"

She cut him off, "No need to explain Marius, I understand. I just wish your new self didn't make me do things that got me hurt."

"That reminds me, how exactly did you get hurt?"

She sighed, "Someone wanted your kindle, being who I am I became a little defensive and I didn't let him have it….I ran away until we were by some escalators, then we fought, a lamp was knocked over and I kicked him in the nuts before I lost my balance and fell down the stairs. That's all I remember."

"God Eponine the things you do, it was just a kindle."

She shrugged, "I know, but I don't like things being taken from me, I loose enough as it is."

He raised an eyebrow, "Now what is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Don't fret about Marius." she replied

Just then from the windows they could see the flashing lights of an ambulance and they knew the paramedics have arrived. Marius gave her hand a slight squeeze in support just as Enjolras came into the room. Eponine smiled at him and he nodded back at her, together with Marius they each stood at once side of Eponine and helped her walk to the ambulance, and Enjolras couldn't help but notice that she seemed to be leaning more on him than Marius.

While the paramedics worked on her Eponine continuously looked over at Enjolras. Her shoulder was dislocated but they were able to pop it back in and she showed no signs of a concussion. Eponine had asked Enjolras to stay by her side and held his hand tightly as the paramedics worked on her; hardly ever did she glance at Marius.

She was going to be just fine.


	25. Chapter 25

**Thanks to all my lovley reviewers/ Followers/ readers. I love you all and i really appreciate your support :D**

**Thanks again! Please review and if any one has cover art please send it :D**

* * *

Everything had returned back to normal by Monday. Things had been pretty uneventful for the rest of break, the exception being Eponine's mini freak out when Enjolras was driving her and Azelma home the night of the Black Friday incident. He and Eponine were having a light conversation about various random things with Azelma texting away in the back seat –who she was texting at one am was a mystery- when the topic of Eponine's stitches came up. Enjolras off-handily commented how he thought she would get left with a scar after she had them removed which caused her to automatically stroke them gently with her fingers out of instinct. She laughed out the commented and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear before running a hand through her hair, it was then she realized something was off. Eponine's eyes widened and she put a hand on the top of her head again only to have her fear confirmed: her hat was gone.

"Oh shit…" she gasped

Enjolras glanced over at her in confusion, "Something wrong."

"My cap, I think I lost it back at the mall. It must have fallen off when I fell down the stairs." she muttered under her breath when realization hit her.

She wasn't too happy after that, not angry or sad, just upset. She loved her hat, it was worn in, unique, and it just fitted her head perfectly after she wore it in so much. Her friends had asked her about it once when they noticed she wore it so often; she only told them it was her favorite hate but she had admitted to Marius after she grew close to him and to Enjolras during a tutoring session just why she liked it so much; it was one of the last thing her father ever gave her.

It was after Cosette was taken away but right before things went bad, they had just received a large amount of money and her father had decided to take Eponine and Azelma to see _Oliver! _– Eponine could still remember how much she loved the musical and now much she loved Nancy's song _As Long As He Needs Me_, she still thought of the artful dodger every time Gavroche did something sneaky- after the show they were walking down the street and Eponine had seen a hat in the window of a store that reminded her of the show and her father bought it for her. It was a brown newsie style cap that she loved, though it was a much too big for her and fell loosely around her eyes when she put it on, her father had laughed at her and assured her she would grow into it given time. When thing had gotten bad it was one of the only thing she took with her on the move, much against her father's wishes. She had to fight tooth and nail to keep it, causing a big fight to occur between her and her father over it, it was the first time he slapped her. The blow was hard and caused the cap to fall off her head. Her father was immediately remorseful and apologized and told her she could keep the hat. Since then the hat became a lot more to her than a souvenir from a musical, it became a memento to the time when her home life was happy and her dad truly loved her. It was also a symbol of her pride and strength against her changing father; she was never going to let anyone knock her down, ever.

But now that hat was gone.

When she first realized her hat was gone she was a little upset, but after a moment she composed herself and calmed down, she knew that nothing could be done about her lost hat and freaking out wouldn't bring it back.

Although she got over it, she still found it hard to fall asleep that night.

Monday was as normal as any Monday could be after facing near-death at a Sears Black Friday sale; the guys automatically pounced on Eponine when she got to school. Grantaire and Courfeyrac had told the others and they all bombarded her with question, most centering around whether she was ok and how she was feeling. She brushed off all the questioned and assured them she was just fine, but that did now stop then from insisting on helping her throughout the day by carrying her books and walking her to class. While she appreciated and was touched by their concern she couldn't help but feel suffocated by it all, she already spent the entire weekend dealing with Marius and Enjolras bombing her phone with text messages to apologize and check up on her, respectively. Cosette had been worse, all throughout English she looked at Eponine with wide eyes and a concerned expression. She continuously asked about her wrist and ankle, and how she got to be like that. Eponine had told her she fell down some stairs, that wasn't a lie, though it turned into one when she said she was reading a book and wasn't paying attention, causing her fall. She couldn't tell Cosette the truth, she knew Cosette would feel awful about it and it would also ruin the kindle surprise for her birthday in a week. That didn't stop Cosette from continuously pestering her even more about her condition and trying to make her feel better.

Eponine had never been so thankful for lunch in her life.

When lunch finally came she had sped to her locker and exchanged her stuff and left before any of the boys could have gotten to her. She scurried down the hall as fast as she could with her injured ankle. She finally reached her place of sanctuary, the auditorium but when she went to open the doors she noticed they wouldn't budge, they were locked. She huffed in irritation, the auditorium doors were hardly ever locked since no one ever used them during the school day but that was not the case. Eponine quickly looked over her shoulder and made sure no one was coming before taking out a bobby pin from her hair and inserted it into the key hole. She hated what became of her and her family when they became poor and desperate but she did gain one thing out of it, she was resourceful, her father wasn't lying when he said she was an excellent pick lock, not that she would go advertising that skill. She finally successfully picked the lock and was able to enter the auditorium, only when she did she couldn't help but hear the music that was coming from the stage. Being her stealthy self Eponine was able to stay close to the wall and peer her head over the side of the wall and see that there was someone there on the stage playing the piano, _her_ piano! Anger built up in her but when she listened to the music the anger seemed to die down. The song was beautiful and heartfelt; she could tell whoever was singing it had a lot of emotion built up with in him.

"I gave you my music, made your song take wing." The voice sang, "And now how you repay me, deny me and betray me…He was bound to love you when he heard you sing."

With each word Eponine would feel the heart break in the boys heart bleed through him, it made her sad too as she compared it the past two months of her life. She budged a little bit but didn't notice an empty bag of chips right in her path until she stepped on it and make a loud ruffling sound. The figure turned around abruptly and glared at Eponine who was pressed to the wall with her head peaking out. He looked over her and he realized who she was. He didn't know her name or anything about her but he did know she was the girl who came to the auditorium to play the piano and sing much like he did, she was also the girl who stood up for him against Freddy and Andre weeks ago. He eyed her carefully and turned toward the light so she could see him clearly. To his surprise she didn't run or away or gasp at his face, she didn't even react to him. He decided to try to talk to her instead.

"How did you get in?" He asked her curiously, "The doors were locked."

She took a step toward him, "I could ask you the same thing."

"I was the one who locked them, your turn."

She gave him a face that said she thought he was insane but she replied all the same, "A bobby pin has more than one use and I am very resourceful."

"Nice answer." He responded simply

"I try." She said sarcastically, trying to get a laugh out of him but he remained silent. She gulped but took another step toward him, "I'm Eponine."

"Erik."

She pressed her lips together and took a seat in one of the seats close to him. "I heard you singing, it was really good." He just rolled his eyes at that comment, but she continued nonetheless. "I can tell you wrote it from personal experience. You must have been through a lot of pain lately."

"Why yes, though I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand the kind of thing I've been through." He didn't know why he was acting this way; usually he avoided people all together and ever engaged in conversation. However he didn't have the urge to do that this time.

She put her hand on her hips, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh nothing, just that you are a teenage girl with nothing better to do than cause drama over every little bump in the road you face."

"I'll have you know I'm a hell of a lot tougher than that."

"Oh please I've seen you in the auditorium, spilling out your soul on the piano."

"You do the same!"

"But mine is real pain, and it's all about the same girl; a girl who I have been there for when she had no one else only to have her abandon me for someone better."

"Believe me if there is anyone who understands that it's me."

He narrowed his eyes at her, "So what exactly is your story?"

She scoffed slightly before going on, "Oh the usual you know. I was in a giant hellhole when I befriended someone who gave me some hope, I ended up having feeling for him and I was there for him no matter what. He was the only good thing I had I really had no one else. Things were looking good up until he fell for someone who was the exact opposite of me after just looking at her once."

"Oh," he replied, understanding his mistake, "well that's no good."

She stopped him, "Wait it gets better. He asked me to help him get with that girl, keep in mind I still had feeling for him at this point, and she asked me to help her get with him. It's thanks to me that they are now together, and just last weekend I faced a near death experience trying to help him find a present for her. Is that enough for you Erik?" she stated mockingly

Erik stared at her coldly but the ice in his eyes seemed to melt. He could tell that she knew about heartbreak and betrayal just as much as he did. There was an awkward silence between them until Eponine asked him his story and he revealed the entire thing from being bullied to Christine. He didn't understand why he was telling her everything, maybe he just needed someone to share the burden with and vent to, someone who would listen and understand, the fact that she seemed oblivious to his face also made him feel a bit better, even Christine stared non stop at him when she first saw his face.

Eponine sat there and listened to his story; she felt for him and really connected it to him. She didn't feel pity but empathy and it felt nice to have someone to talk to. Sure Enjolras had listen to her rants but he never seemed to understand where her pain came from, instead constantly brushing it off and being his stoic self.

Neither Erik nor Eponine judged the other for they each understood where their feeling for their others came from and they were a lot more similar to each other than anyone else they knew. It was funny, neither of them ever thought they would have someone they could relate and connect to, they thought they were alone in the world. Apparently they were both wrong. They only talked for half an hour, so they didn't get all that close but at least now they had a confident and someone to reach out to when no one else would listen.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: You know I find it funny how I can always tell if another author read my writing or someone else's, mind you they never steal a lot but I can see the similarities. Not calling anyone out, just stating an observation.**

**Enjoy the next chapter and PLEASE REVIEW!**

**And again, if anyone is interested in making me cover art I will love you forever! I have no idea what i want, but i'm sure whatever people come up with will be amazing! Thanks I love you all :D**

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Enjolras hunched over his books as he tried to focus on studying for this exam the following week. The café was unusually empty that evening, it was early Friday and most people where out partying rather than studying like him. Even Eponine wasn't at the café and she was almost always there but Mr. Myriel had 'forbidden' her from working there due to her ankle and wrist. Eponine had insisted that she was ok to work but even after a week later Mr. Myriel didn't budge. Enjolras couldn't blame him for his concern, he was just as apprehensive about her getting back to work as he was, but Eponine loved her job. Ever since she got her job three months ago Enjolras noticed that she seemed a bit different, she was still her usual self but now there was some other spark within her.

Enjolras realized he was thinking of her a little too much and quickly proceeded to push those thoughts out of his mind as he turned back to his books. He only got through a couple more pages when he heard someone shuffle near him and take a seat next to him, a bag dropping at their feet. When he turned his head to see who it was he found it was the last person he ever expected.

Sitting there right next to him was a girl with an overly cheery smile and a flirty look in her eye. Enjolras found himself face to face again with none other than the overly perky and preppy Garlinda, or was it Glinda; frankly he really could care less.

"Hi Aiden" She said in an overly sweet voice "Fancy running into you here."

_Not really considering I spend all my free time here and you probably knew that. _He thought but still gave her a "Hey" out of instinct before turning his attention back to his notebook. He noticed that she was still staring at him with wide eyes and a toothy smile. "It's Garlinda right?"

She gasped, "Its GAH-Linda! Not Gar, just Gah!"

"Sorry." he said off-handily, his eyes never leaving his book.

She put her elbows on the table top and placed her chin in her hands, "So what exactly are you doing?"

"Studying" He stated plainly as he took some notes

"Oh," she responded, "but its Friday night, don't you want go out and have some fun. I mean YOLO right?" she added, touching his elbow as she did so which caused Enjolras to wince internally: it wasn't just the fact that she touched him but the fact that she just used the term _YOLO_. Anyone who knew him knew he absolutely hated that term, every time Grantaire used it Enjolras would go off on a long and antagonistic rant about it and it would feel like none of the Amis would ever hear the end of it. He would harass everyone about how it was a term that everyone misinterpreted and simply used it as an excuse to party and waste their time on getting wasted. Even Eponine, who hated the term as much as she did and was known to go off on her rants too, had to admit Enjolras really took his too far.

"I'm not really one for 'Yolo' in those terms. I find it better to focus my attention on things that will actually help me in the future." He replied, trying his hardest not to be hostile toward her though it took every inch of his being.

She looked a bit taken back but she continued on, "Oh well I'm sure even someone as dedicated as you has to have fun at some points."

He pressed his forefinger against his temple, "I do but my forms of entertainment aren't like everyone else's."

"I'm sure we can find some similarities." She said with a wink. "Are you busy right now…well what I mean is are you occupied with anyone currently."

"Not exactly, I did want to study in peace…."

"Oh that's good; I feared you thought I was rude when I interrupted your tutoring session with that one girl two weeks ago. I mean I totally invaded your session, I must have like made you look really unprofessional and that is so not good for business."

Enjolras raised an eyebrow at her, "I think you misunderstood-"

She didn't listen and cut him off, "At least _that's_ not a problem this time."

The pen in Enjolras' hand almost burst from the pressure he put on it when Galinda said that. He tried to correct her and let her down easy but she wasn't listening. He stealthy rolled his eyes when he noticed that this girl wasn't taking his hints. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down and not to say something he would regret. From the way she was looking at him Enjolras had the feeling that he wouldn't be relieving himself from Galinda anytime soon. She went on about some of her interest and the latest party that everyone was going to be at, and she kept moving her head in an overly feministic way, it took all of Enjolras will power not to get right then and storm off. While his friends called him 'unemotional' and 'stoic' he was also a gentlemen and polite to people if he didn't know them, when it came to his friend he didn't give a damn. He didn't know how long he had been listening to Galinda's consistent or how much longer he could stand listening to her without bursting but he could feel his internal bomb ticking with each passing second. He felt as id he was just about loose it when he noticed a figure take a seat next to him. He glanced over at the figure and found himself looking at the back of someone's head but the second he saw the thick black hair and smelled the raspberry aroma coming from it he automatically knew who it was.

"Hey Linda" Eponine said cheerfully as she set her messenger bag in between her and Enjolras.

Galinda eyed Eponine cautiously, giving her the _PGGO_ again like she had two weeks ago but this time it ended when her eyes locked onto her wrist which was still in a small cast. "It's Galinda actually." She smiled but there was definitely some fire in her eyes, "What happened to your wrist?"

Eponine looked down at it and flexed it slightly, "Oh nothing big, I sprained it when I punch someone who tried to grope my ass at the subway over break."

Galinda's eyes widened, "Really?"

"Yep" Eponine replied but she had to bite down on her lip to hold back a laugh; she could hear Enjolras cough and put a hand to his mouth to do the same thing. "His face was harder then I intended it to be. What can I say I don't like it when people invade my bubble like that, not that I blame him thought, I mean I have a pretty nice ass." She added, gently tapping the side of her behind.

Galinda looked mildly uncomfortable and a little scared, "Sure…um…" She quickly stood up and gathered her things, "you know I totally forgot that I have to go…um do something." She said backing away while keeping her sights and Enjolras and avoiding looking at Eponine at all, "I'll catch up with you later Aiden." She said before turning on her heel and scurrying out the door.

As soon as Galinda was out of sight Eponine busted out laughing. She was laughing so hard she had to hunch over and wrap her arms around her stomach. Enjolras couldn't help but laugh either, thought his laughter was a bit for tame.

"Did you see her face when I told her that I punch a guy? Or when I commented on my ass?" She asked while she was still laughing "I swear I think I seriously creped her out."

Enjolras smiled, "You are a genius 'Ponine."

She straightened herself out, her back still toward him, "I try, when I walked in I saw her sitting over here and you looked like you were in some serious pain. I had to do something, I may tease you guys from time to time but I couldn't let you suffer."

"I was thank you for that. What would I do without you?"

"Explode from Galinda overdose." She replied lightheartedly as she turned in her seat to face him.

Enjolras noticed that as she turned she positioned the brushed some of her hair with her fingers and tried to discreetly place on her face right in front of her cheek.

"So what are you doing here? I thought Mr. Myriel wasn't letting you work while you were injured."

"He isn't but he can't keep me away from the café, and eventually I will break him. He will let me work again soon."

"Are you sure that's such a good idea with your ankle? Think about it, being a waitress means hours and hours on your feet."

"I know, but I like working."

He raised an eyebrow at her, "I think that is the first time I've ever heard someone admit that.'

She giggled, "Well it's true. Working at the café is nice Mr. Myriel is nice, I get to see all you guys all the time, and I make money doing it."

"Out of curiosity how much money do you make?"

"$10/ hour." she stated simply

His eyes widened, "Really? And you work a heck of a lot of hours. I think you spend most of your free time here."

"I know it's a lot but only four other people work here and two of them are Mr. Myriel's nieces….."

"Oh."

"Yeah, and as bad as this sounds I like having the extra money, it makes me feel better." She said biting her lip. She looked up at Enjolras and he gave her a look that told her to go on. "Bare with me as I tell you this….Ever since I stared working at the café I've been happier but ever since I got my first pay check I've felt more normal. I can actually get decent quality stuff, like decent shampoo and condition her that wont leave my hair dry like the dollar store kind, I can get decent razors that wont nick and cut my skin when I shave, I can actually afford to go with you guys to the movies, and lunch at school, when Cosette asks me to go shopping I can actually buy something!" She looked down at her hands after she said that, "I just don't feel like a charity case so much."

Enjolras looked at his friend with a curious gaze. His eyes softened and he put a hand on her back right in between her shoulder blades, causing her to look up at him. "We never saw you as a charity case Eponine. You're our friend and we love you."

"Thanks." She replied sarcastically

"It's the truth and you know it." She laughed at him and he returned the smile.

At that moment her hair had slipped from her cheek, revealing an ugly looking bruise right on her cheekbone close to her ear. He reached up and gently brushed it with his finger, "What happened there?"

She immediatly jolted back as her eyes widened and she bit her lip as she brushed her hair back to cover her cheek, "Oh my shiner? It's nothing, Azelma and I were outside doing some yard work and some of the neighborhood kids were playing catch, they lost control of their ball and I wasn't paying attention. I didn't even notice the ball until I turned around and it clubbed me in the face."

Enjolras looked at her as if he didn't believe her, her excuse seemed legit but then again Eponine was too smart to use overused excuses. She never used the excuses like "_I fell down the stairs"_ or "_ran into a wall_" but she seemed to be hurt a lot more than a normal person should.

"Oh that reminds me," she began, trying to take attention away from her bruise "please tell me you aren't leaving me alone tomorrow."

He raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean? What's tomorrow?"

"Cosette's birthday party…. remember? Marius has been talking about it nonstop since last week."

He shrugged, "I tend to tune out whenever Marius mentions her name in a dreamy tone I don't care about his lonely soul."

"It's not so lonely anymore." she remarked

"That's right, but nonetheless I still don't care about it. I find that if I tune him out I don't have the need to throw my textbook at him."

"Smart strategy" she remarked, "But seriously Enjy please go tomorrow, I don't think I can handle going by myself. Marius and Cosette will be love birds, Grantaire will probably get drunk and I don't even want to think about what happened at the last party."

"Hey the furniture barricade turned out to be amazing!"

"Until you guys had to clean it up before Courfeyrac's parents came home and called me at 5 am to help you. What exactly possessed you guys to build a barricade in the first place?!"

"Too much alcohol," He replied, "Grantaire spiked my coke."

"That doesn't surprise me." She said sarcastically. "So will you please go tomorrow? Marius also told me his cousin is in town for a visit and will be going to the party…guess who he assigned to baby-sit him?"

"I'm going to take a shot here and say it's you."

She nodded, "You would be correct."

Enjolras rolled his eyes, "I can't believe he asked you to baby-sit his cousin at a party."

"He didn't actually use those words per say… he said and I quote 'Eponine my cousin is visiting and he will be at the party. He doesn't really know anyone so could you please keep him company and be friendly, please!'"

"And you of course agreed."

"It's not like I could exactly refuse…."

"Actually you could have."

"But he used his puppy-eyes, do you know how hard it is to refuse Marius' request when he uses his puppy-eyes?!"

"I can imagine." He said sardonically

"So will you be going?" She asked again.

She gripped onto his arm and looked at him with big wide eyes and a desperate look on her face. One look into Eponine's chocolate eyes and Enjolras knew he couldn't say no, he was beginning to understand what she meant by not being able to refuse puppy-dog eyes.

"Ok, I kind of owe you after you got rid of Galinda for me."

She smiled widely and she gave him a quick hug, "Thank you Enjy you are the best friend ever!"

"I know," He stated pessimistically, "I know."

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**Who is really starting to hate me now? Anyone?**

**Next up, Cosette's birthday party ...anyone wanna guess who Marius' cousin is? Let me just tell you know things are going to get interesting :P**

**See you all next time, hopefully i can update again within the next few days**

**Please Review :D**


	27. Chapter 27

_**As always PLEASE review :D**_

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Eponine took a deep breathe as she sat in the taxi cab and looked onto Marius' house, Enjolras had offered to pick her up but she protested saying that she needed extra time to get ready and had to pick up a gift before going and as he was already on his way when he called her she just told him she would meet him there. She took out a $20 bill and gave it to the driver, telling him to keep the change, and got of the cab. As she walked up to the door she smoothed out her blouse, her outfit was simple enough; it consisted of a pair of dark skinny jeans paired with a long sleeved black cardigan and her purple v-neck t-shirt, a long black necklace and her brown boots. She ran a hand through her thick hair, she still missed her hat.

She was about to knock on the door when she glanced down at Cosette's gift in her hand, it was a simple golden circle locket on a delicate chain. It was a simple gift but it was symbolic to Eponine, when Cosette had first come to live with the Thenardiers she had nothing but a simple locket with her. It was simple but it was the only thing she had, when Eponine was younger she had taken it from Cosette one day and played with it without asking, then she had lost it. Cosette had been so upset that day but Eponine's mother shut her up rather quickly; Eponine had scoffed it off as a silly piece of jewelry that wasn't worth anything and made fun of Cosette when she seemed to be so upset over it; though once her family went broke her perspective changed.

_Eponine was curled up in the corner of the attic. Things seemed to have gotten a little better over the last two months. After they had lost their inn they were evicted and had to move around but they finally settled into a shabby boarding house in a shady part of town. Her father had turned to drinking more and her mother had been a lot more hot tempered but things seemed a little better, that changed soon however. A week into the new place her parents had gotten into another big fight and she had gotten in the middle of it when he had snapped at Azelma who was playing too loudly. She flew in to protect her baby sister and stood up against her father, it became the second time he slapped her. This time he was drunk and didn't even apologize instead just calling little 'Ponine a waste of space who needed to learn her place. She automatically pushed herself up and ran out of there, no one followed her; they didn't even call after her. _

_She ran down the boarding house's halls until she reached a door that opened to a stairs and climbed then until she reached the top which revealed a large room with a low hanging ceiling and a big window at the far wall. The room was empty and covered in dust but she didn't care, she just needed somewhere to go. She walked over to the corner by the window and curled into a ball, bringing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She brought her forehead down to her knees, shutting her eyes to try to push out all the images and sounds that plagued her for the past two months, all the shouting and screaming. The moon streaked into the room from the big window on the wall and fell on her face illuminating the tears on her cheeks. A breeze also came in through the window and was strong enough to blow Eponine's hair around her face and blow her hat off her head; Eponine reacted automatically and snatched the hat back up from the ground. It was then that she realized how much Cosette's locket must have meant to her. It didn't matter that the things were simple, it mattered that they meant something, both Eponine's hat and Cosette's necklace were reminders and someone had loved and cared for them in them in the past; it gave them hope that someone still would. _

It only seemed fitting that she lost her hat while protecting something for Cosette. When she saw the locket in the window of a small shop at the mall a few weeks prior she automatically thought of Cosette and knew she had to get it for her. Cosette may not remember it but Eponine didn't care, she remembered.

Eponine was brought out of her thoughts when the door of Marius's house opened to reveal Enjolras standing on the other side. He wasn't dressed to impressed, sporting a pair of brown jeans, a red t-shirt and his black high tops but Eponine knew the simple fact that he came was hard enough for him. Eponine smiled widely at him and he nodded toward her, a small smile on his face, as he led her into the house. The party wasn't all that big, it consisted of the Amis like any other party they had along with some other people from school; namely some girls Eponine knew but couldn't put names too. They walked through the house but before they reached the living room Eponine separated herself from Enjolras and went to look for Cosette. She spotted her standing in a large group by the glass door that led the backyard with Marius standing next to her. His arm was draped across her waist and she was leaning in his shoulder, the sight pained Eponine but unlike before the pain just felt like a prick of a needle vs. a dagger to her heart; the realization made Eponine smile a bit. She was in all honestly happy for her two friends, even if it did cost her happiness; she knew she was getting over it. She strode over to where the group was standing and other than Marius and Cosette she saw the familiar faces of Courfeyrac, Feuilly, and Gavroche.

"Hey 'Ponine!" exclaimed Marius when he saw her coming toward them, "Glad you could make it."

She let out a playful laugh, "I would never miss Cosette's birthday! It only happens once a year."

"Very true" Added Gavroche who looked happy to be there, "What better reason to party the roof off this place!" He cheered gleefully, adding a little dance as he did so.

Eponine rolled her eyes and ruffled her little brother's hair affectionately, "You have been spending too much time with Courfeyrac."

"Is that a bad thing?"

Eponine shot a feisty look at Courfeyrac, "It depends on what you inherit from him. But 7 times out of 10 it is."

"Hey!" Courfeyrac exclaimed in mock hurt. Eponine stuck her tongue out at him before letting out a hearty chuckle.

Eponine composed herself and walked two feet over to where Cosette was standing. She tapped her on the shoulder and Cosette turned around, a smile widening on her face when she saw Eponine.

The two hugged quickly and Eponine smiled at her, "Happy Birthday Cosette"

"I'm so glad you came."

"But of course!" She pulled the box in her hand into sight and held it out to Cosette, "Marius may have made you the party but I came bearing better gifts."

Cosette smiled again and graciously took the present from Eponine, telling her she would open it once everyone else left so not to loose it in the chaos of the party. Eponine gave her an understanding nod and was about to turn on her heel when Marius called out to her. He reminded her of his cousin to which Eponine rolled her eyes and reassured him that she would do it as soon as she arrived.

_Why I do these things I don't know…_

She proceeded to walk back to where she left Enjolras and took a seat on the loveseat right next to him; he greeted her with a nod and they casually looked at the people around them. Before anything was said between them Enjolras stood up and walked over to a nearby cooler, pulling out to two drinks. He walked back and handed Eponine a Sprite while he got a Coke for himself, it surprised Eponine a bit that Enjolras knew her favorite soda but she didn't comment on it.

"How long have you been here?" Eponine asked as she took a sip of her drink.

He shrugged casually, "Not long, maybe half an hour."

She grimaced, "Sorry about that….I had to run some errands before I came."

"I know, I don't mind."

Just then Joly and Combeferre stopped them and walked over to where Eponine and Enjolras were sitting.

"Why if it isn't Enjonine" remarked Combeferre jokingly

Eponine raised an eyebrow, "Enjo- what?"

Joly laughed, "Enjonine, you know Enjolras plus Eponine."

Enjolras eyes went wide while Eponine began laughing, "That's rich you guys!" She gasped in between laughs, "But we're **not** a couple."

Combeferre shrugged, "Our mistake, you guys spend so much time together it's easy to get confused."

"We're friends." Replied Enjolras in a monotone voice, "We are allowed to hang out together" He added glaring a bit at his friends

Combeferre nodded, giving Enjolras a knowing look, "Sure….we apologize."

Enjolras glared at his friend and he got the hint loud and clear though Eponine remained completely oblivious to the exchange as she was talking to Joly and laughing. The next thing they knew two pulled up two seats and sat next to Eponine and Enjolras, which neither really cared about.

"So remind me again what Marius wants you to do." Asked Enjolras

Eponine rolled her eyes, "His cousin is coming soon and he wants me to 'be friendly and keep him company'. My guess is that he is socially awkward and Marius feels bad for him."

"So now you are going to be stuck with him?" asked Joly

"Yep…boy is this going to be a fun party." She stated sarcastically as she took a sip of her coke.

"Why are you doing it?" asked Combeferre

She shrugged, "I kind of owe him."

Combeferre swore he heard Enjolras mutter something under his breath like 'haven't you done enough for him already' to which he raised an eyebrow and asked "How so?"

"He paid for my medical bills after the accident on Thanksgiving."

"It was his fault you got hurt in the first place." Commented Enjolras in a voice that seemed calm with specks of irritation sprinkled throughout, "He should pay for them either way."

Eponine shrugged, "It is what it is. I already agreed to it, not like I can back out now."

Combeferre nodded, "You are too good Pony."

Her eyes narrowed, "Please don't call me that. I'm not a horse and I do not enjoy being referred to as one."

He raised his hands in surrender, "Whatever you say." He may have been joking but he could tell from the look in Eponine's eyes that she was dead serious about the name thing and if there was one thing all the guys had learned over the years it was to never mess with a Thenardier.

She grinned, "Good, that's better."

The group talked for a bit longer but were interrupted by the sound of Eponine's phone dinging- with the money she saved from her job at the café Eponine was able to buy a decent iPhone, granted she got it from the flea market but it was still a great phone and Eponine was happy with it- and she moved excused herself from the group.

She heaved a big sigh, "Love to stay and chat but duty calls. Apparently Elvis has just entered the building."

"Best of luck" Called Joly as she went off

She turned her head over her shoulder and called back, "Don't worry I'm not doing this alone, that's why I made Enjolras come. Did you really think I would go down without bringing someone with me?"

The guys laughed at her and watched as she disappeared into the crowd to complete another one of her 'errands'. As soon as she was out of eye and ear sight Combeferre turned to his best friend and jabbed him in the shoulder, causing him to almost choke on his Coke.

"Eponine _made_ you come?"

Enjolras rolled his eyes, "I wasn't planning on coming. I actually completely forgot about the party; she reminded me and asked me come."

"And you agreed?"

"What was I supposed to do? Say no?"

Joly raised a finger, "Well you could have. If it had been Marius or Grantaire asking you probably would have."

"That's different, Grantaire goes to a party practically every weekend and Pontmercy is just a blabbering idiot at times who asks for too much. Eponine doesn't ever ask for anything."

"Sure," commented Combeferre, "just keep telling yourself that."

Enjolras raised an eyebrow, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Combeferre sighed and continued with a smirk on his face, "Oh nothings, it just that we get the feeling that you may care for Eponine more than you are letting on."

Enjolras' face hardened, "I DO NO-"

"You can deny it all you want; it doesn't change what we think."

"I will have you know-"

Combeferre held up a hand to stop him, "Frankly whatever you think of Eponine is between you and her but if you do like her I would act upon it quickly. Let's be honest Eponine's kind of hot and if you don't snatch her up soon someone else will."

"As I have said I'm not one for relationships and all that jazz. I doubt the day I do care for that will come anytime soon."

"Whatever you say mon ami, whatever you say…"

At that moment Joly noticed something and leaned over to whisper in Combeferre's ear "I think that day may be sooner than we think."

* * *

Eponine weaved her way through the crowd trying to get back to Marius and Cosette. When her phone dinged she unlocked it to see a message saying that Marius' cousin had come and he needed Eponine's help. Eponine couldn't help but be the least bit annoyed with Marius at this point, she was growing really tired of being his errand girl but he was one of her closest friends and she couldn't just abandon him. As she walked to meet him and his cousin she was mentally preparing herself for her 'babysitting gig'. She was expecting some socially awkward kid or some guy who talked too much for his own good or worse yet someone crude and rude, what she found instead was nothing like she expected. She reached the staircase where Marius told her to meet them and saw that a few girls were crowding some guy, Eponine rolled her eyes and turned away from them. Marius spotted her automatically and strode near her.

"Eponine I can't thank you enough for hanging with my cousin."

"No problem Marius, I owe you."

Marius shook his head, "After all you've done for me in the past three months? No at this point I owe my life to you several times over."

"I know, I'm keeping count; never know when I may need to cast in a favor."

"And I fear for that day." He said with a nervous laugh before continuing on, "Now let me introduce you to my cousin Theodule."

Eponine froze for a moment, that same sounded very familiar but she couldn't quite place it.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Marius call over the guy the girls were flaunting over and he came to stand next to Marius. When Eponine saw him she had to take a double take, the guy before her was not what she was thinking at all. He was attractive with dark blonde hair and light green eyes, his nose was straight and he had striking feature. His demeanor gave off a sense of confidence and poise making Eponine wonder why he would ever need her to keep him company at the party.

Before she had time to further think Marius stepped in and introduced them to one another, declaring Eponine as his 'close friend'. Theodule smiled at Eponine and for some reason her stomach filled with butterflies. She bit her lip lightly and smiled at him, giving him a polite nod as well. Satisfied that Theodule was in good hands Marius left the two together and went back to join Cosette, leaving Eponine alone with Theodule.

She started to lead him to where she had left her friends when he spoke to her, "You know when Marius told me he was going to introduce me to one of his friends to hang out with at this party I had no idea he was going to pair me up with someone so…"

She raised an eyebrow, "Tall? Snarky? Talkative?"

"Pretty" He replied, causing Eponine to deepen a shade of red.

"Um…thank you." She muttered, not really knowing what to say.

"You are very welcome." He said confidently as he tapped her nose lightly with his pointer finger.

As they walked to the other side of the room Eponine had this nagging feeling that she had seem Theodule before, his face was familiar and his name rang a bell but she just couldn't place them. They finally reached the others and Eponine introduced them to Theodule who in turn shook their hands and nodded politely. The group commenced talking with Eponine taking a seat right in between Enjolras and Theodule but engaging in most of the conversation with Theodule. She blushed from time to time due to some things he said and he would occasionally brush some lose strand of hair behind her ear and she would pat his knee. Eponine seemed smitten with Theodule which was apparent to everyone. What wasn't apparent to everyone was Enjolras' and his miniature movements throughout the whole interaction. Every time Eponine giggled at something Theodule said or he smiled at her Enjolras' grip on his coke can would tighten and his teeth would grind together or his face would harden. He barley acknowledged Theodule and when he did it was usually single word responses to question with an icy tone. Something about Theodule struck him as off, he normally had a good sense of character and he could tell that Theodule's wasn't good. There was also a deep pit forming in his stomach that he just couldn't get rid of. He knew what he was feeling but he didn't want to admit it to himself; he was Aiden Daniel Enjolras, he didn't get jealous and worked up over girls, so then why was he feeling this way?

He was brought back to his senses by someone tapping him on the shoulder; he turned to see Eponine looking at him with a confused and bold look in her eye.

"I'm sorry what just happened?"

She shook her head at him while she rolled her eyes, "Theodule just asked you what interest you hold career wise."

"He did?"

"Yes," confirmed Theodule, "Marius tells me you are a senior. Certainly you already have plans for your future and study interest."

"Yes I do, I plan on going into political science."

"A politician?" asked Theodule with a raised eyebrow, "How….. interesting"

Enjolras narrowed his, "Yes my views exactly."

Theodule let out a small scoff that was almost inaudible but Enjolras heard it, "Oh but politics seem so dirty to me, why anyone would want to partake in such things."

Enjolras looked appalled, "There are several reasons why! I see lots of injustice in society and I plan on doing something about it. If I want change I need to take the first step."

"Well that's not all politics entail, in fact there are several other aspects, and if you don't have a battle plan going in you will never get too far. It's far too much in my opinion."

"Luckily I don't care for your opinion." Enjolras replied coldly before standing up and striding to the kitchen, leaving everyone to stare after him wide eyed.

Enjolras stood over the sink by the window and looked out at the sky. He just needed to get out of that situation as quick as possible, the whole thing was making him uncomfortable and he hated it. He gripped onto the edge of the sink and took a deep breath, trying hard to force his feelings down.

"What the hell was that?!" Demanded a voice behind him; Enjolras didn't even have to turn around to know who's voice that was he would recognize it anywhere.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb with me Aiden I am referring to the way you just treated Theodule." She replied with fire in her voice.

Enjolras rolled his eyes and turned around to face her, "What? Someone had to put him in his place, just because he thinks something does not mean that he can degrade my opinion."

"Maybe someone should put you in your place." She challenged, placing her hands on her hips and trying to look as intimidating as possible which was hard considering Enjolras had a good three inches on her height was. "Honestly the way you acted was very rude. Theodule is Marius' cousin, we have to be nice."

"Seems to me like you are taking your job a little too seriously"

She narrowed her eyes, "What are you implying?"

"I'm not implying anything, I am stating that you are taking the task of 'being friendly' to the extreme. I don't think Marius wanted you to flirt with his cousin when he asked you to keep him company and be friendly."

"Why I-"

"Oh come on now Eponine, you two could hardly keep your hands off each other back there! That was some hardcore flirting on both sides. Honestly I know you are trying to get over Pontmercy and all but rebounding with his cousin is a little low don't you think?" The second those words came out of his mouth he regretted them and wanted to take them back but seeing the look on Eponine's face told him the damage was already done.

Eponine's jaw dropped in shock as she took in every word Enjolras spat at her. It looked as if someone had just stabbed and killed a puppy in front of her and the look in her eyes portrayed absolute betrayal and anger. The look was only there for a moment and soon it was replaced by that of fire and defiance.

She looked at him with abhorrence and shook her head at him. Her hands flew up to the side of her head, stopping several inches away, and her fingers were tensed and locked up in a claw-like manner. She shook them furiously a bit before throwing back down a bit and looking at Enjolras in aggravation."I'm not dealing this right now." She pivoted on her heel and marched out of the room, stopping at the door way and angrily calling over her shoulder, "Call me when you get off your fricking pedestal."

As he watched her march out with frustration in each and every one of her steps Enjolras stood there wanting to call her back and apologize but pride prevented him from doing it. The second she was out of sight Enjolras knew he really screwed up.

* * *

**Bare with me! I promise I have a plan and it will all work out. I decided that after having 26 chapters with absoutly no progression in the relationship i needed to get organized. Usually i have no idea what i am going to write until i actually start writing, i tend to know points B and E in a plot but have no idea with C or D. But now i organize a bit and have an outline set... Again Please bare with me! It will be a long process but things will turn around...eventually**

_**Review please! And again if someone could make cover art i would love you forever!**_


	28. Chapter 28

**Hey there lovely readers. Thank you to everyone who reads/reviews/follows and favorites my story. It makes me REALLY happy when people like this story :D**

**Please review and enjoy :D**

* * *

Eponine sighed as she leaned against the counter; Mr. Myriel had finally allowed her to work at the café again, under the agreement that she take it easy and attempt to stick to wiping down the tables and working at the cash register. She couldn't help but chuckled when he had told her that but she complied nonetheless, she knew he was just looking out for her well being. Mr. Myriel had been good to her and she was starting to see him as a father figure, something neither minded at all.

"Hiya Eponine" greeted a voice behind her, causing Eponine to turn and smile at Musichetta. Eponine was familiar with her from school, they were in a few classes together and she seemed pretty sweet; Mr. Myriel had hired her about two weeks ago after Eponine had gotten hurt, she was really just to help Eponine out but the café was shorthanded in the first place so Eponine didn't mind; it was also nice to have someone else to talk to.

"Hi Musichetta, how are you?"

"Just fine thank you, I actually came to ask you the same thing."

Eponine raised her eyebrow playfully, "Really now?"

"Yeah, just wanted to make sure you weren't stressing out your ankle….or wrist."

"Did Mr. Myriel ask you to keep tabs on me?"A guilty look filled Musichetta's pretty face and she nodded. Eponine chuckled and shook her head slightly. "Typical, not that I can really blame him…"

"No you really can't," She agreed as she took another rag and started wiping tables alongside Eponine, "I still don't understand why you wanted to come back to work so early? It's not like he was going to fire you if you didn't return soon."

"I know but I just really missed working here. I come here all the time as it is so coming and not working just felt weird….you know what I mean?"

Musichetta nodded, "Yeah I get you. You came with the guys from school right? You know like Aiden Enjolras, Ricky Grantaire and…..Mason Joly?" She said the last name a bit timidly though she tried to hide it.

Eponine chuckled, "No not like them, exactly them. They all love this café so we all just decided to hang here. It's like a second home."

She laughed cheerfully, causing some auburn strands of her hair to break away from her ponytail, "Never thought I'd hear the day when someone said their work was their home."

Eponine shrugged, "Anything is possible."

At that moment the bell dinged signaling the entrance of customers. The two girls turned to face the customers and found themselves face to face with the people they were just talking about along with Courfeyrac and little Gavroche. Eponine smiled at them all but the second her eyes landed on Enjolras her gaze hardened, she was still decently pissed at him for what he said at the party. He had yet to apologize and Eponine was not one to forgive and forget easily if at all. Enjolras looked at her apathetically, though inside he felt guilty over what he said yet he though she was a bit at fault too.

In the end it was Musichetta who spoke first, "Good afternoon boys, what can we do for you today?" She asked as she took out her small notepad. Eponine put up a hand to stop her and instead turned her attention toward the boys.

"The backroom is open and if I recall correctly you guys will want….umm….a black coffee for Grantaire, a soy latte for Joly, mango smoothie for Courfeyrac, a French vanilla coffee with two splendas for Enjy and a glass of chocolate milk and a cookie for Gavroche."

"Damn Eppy you are good." Smirked Grantaire

Eponine rolled her eyes and scoffed, "Language Grantaire! My 10 year old brother is right next to you! And how many times have I told you not to call me Eppy?"

"About as many times as I have told you not to call me Enjy" Enjolras replied sardonically. "But that's never stopped you."

"Touché," she replied as she narrowed her eyes.

Musichetta interrupted the stare off going on between Eponine and Enjolras, "I'll just get started on those orders."

Courfeyrac stopped her, "No that's not necessary, we just came by to talk to Eponine."

Eponine crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the counter, "What about?"

"To see if you were coming to the basketball game tonight!" Gavroche answered enthusiastically, "But can I still get that cookie?"

Eponine laughed heartily and was joined by everyone else in the room. Gavroche looked around the room from person to person with a confused look on his face.

"What is something I said?"

Eponine pulled herself together and straightened up, "No it's all good Gavroche don't worry about it."

"You didn't answer my question….can I still get that cookie?"

Grantaire ruffled the boy's hair and grinned, "Of course little guy. One chocolate chip cookie for the boy please."

Musichetta nodded tore her gaze away from a very specific someone before she skipped back to the counter and got a large chocolate chip cookie out for Gavroche. While she did that the boys turned toward Eponine and looked at her with wide eyes.

"So are you coming to the game?" asked Courfeyrac

She raised an eyebrow, "Do I have a choice?"

"Considering that Marius and Combeferre are on the team and Jehan and Feuilly are in the pep band I would have to say no." Replied Grantaire, "Come on Eppy we have to support them, they supported us during football season. Don't you think Joly?"

The man in question remained silent the look on his face looked as if he was staring longingly at something.

"Hello earth to Joly." Eponine said as she waved her hands in front of his eyes.

Joly shook his head as if brought out of a trance and turned his attention back to the room.

"What- what I miss?" He asked looking decently confused and trying to hide his embarrassment.

Enjolras addressed him, "Grantaire asked you to back him up in his theory that Eponine needs to come with us to the basketball game to show support for Marius and the others."

Eponine rolled her eyes at Enjolras and he in turn shook his head slightly but the exchange was unnoticed by the others.

Joly answered them nervously, "Oh…yea I agree completely. In fact why don't we invite your friend Eponine?" He said gesturing toward the girl who was getting Gavroche a soft cookie.

"You mean Musichetta? Yea I guess that's alright, it's about time I hung out some other people. I love you guys but even you can get tiring after awhile."

Grantaire looked appalled, "It pains me that you say that Eppy."

She shrugged, "It is what it is, I can lie to you guys." She teased

"But it's settled then?" asked Courfeyrac, "You will come to the game?"

"When is it again?"

Enjolras checked his watch, "In a little over an hour."

Eponine stood there and pondered for a moment before answering, "Well technically my shift ends in twenty minutes and the day is pretty slow today…I guess me and Musichetta and I could close up today and join you guys then. Hey Musichetta!"

"Yes?" responded the brunette with Gavroche right at her heels. He looked very content with the sweet cookie in his mouth.

"Would you like to join us for the basketball game? It's in about an hour."

"Are you all going?" She asked, though her gaze was set on Joly. They all nodded and she smiled, "Then sure, it sounds like fun."

"Great!" exclaimed Eponine, "I'm still on shift for a bit longer so I guess I'll meet you guys there."

Grantaire narrowed his eyes at her, "Do you plan on walking there?"

She shrugged her shoulders and put her hands palm up in surrender, "I was; I don't exactly have a car. Besides the school is only 5 blocks away."

"Nonsense!" exclaimed Grantaire, "We can give you a ride."

Joly spoke up, "Um R, I'm not sure I can fit all of us in my car, it only fits 4 other people and I am already taking you, Gavroche and Courfeyrac. I don't think we can take both Eponine and Musichetta"

"Then we take Musichetta and Eponine can ride with Enjolras." He stated simply. Eponine's face hardened when he said that and she noticed that Enjolras looked a bit uncomfortable. "Is that a problem?"

Enjolras was the one who answered first, "No not at all."

If looks could kill both Enjolras and Grantaire would have been buried.

The car ride was silent the whole way there. It was obvious to them that neither had forgotten the events of the party the past week. Eponine crossed her arms over her chest and looked out the window, her teeth grazing the corner of her bottom lip.

"Are you going to stay silent the whole trip?" Enjolras asked all of a sudden

"Are you going to pester me till I do?" she replied with a feisty tone

"Most likely"

"Typical, you never stop until you get what you want."

He kept his tone steady, "That may be but my goals tend to be beneficial to others."

"If that helps you sleep at night." She responded with an apathetic tone. Enjolras opened his mouth to respond but before he could Eponine beat him to it. "We're here."

Enjolras sighed as she realized she was right and they had arrived at the school. He pulled into a parking spot and the second he turned the ignition off Eponine unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out of the car. Enjolras followed suit and the two walked side by side to the gym where the game was taking place. They both remained silent on their walk, they were both as stubborn as they came, neither wanted to stay mad at each other but neither wanted to be the first to cave either. It was a vicious circle. They finally reached the gym and Enjolras noticed how Eponine seemed to automatically lighten up. She practically sprinted to where the others were seated, the middle of the bleachers right next to the pep band, and greeted them cheerfully. Musichetta smiled when she saw her and that was when both Eponine and Enjolras noticed Cosette standing right next to her too. The three girls laughed when they saw each other and Cosette seemed to be beaming with pride for her boyfriend. Enjolras walked up the steps and stood right behind Eponine and next to Joly. Within a few minutes the game started and spirits were high. Once again they were playing against Broadway and the rebels were ready to crush them. Given time Eponine seemed to be free spirited again and cheered along with the crowd. At one point Marius was blocked by a tall player from the opposing team and he passed the ball to another member of their team named Raoul who then passed it to Combeferre who had a shot and made a three-point basket. The shot made everyone rise to their feet and cheer loudly; Eponine turned around and smiled widely at the boys, even Enjolras. For a moment he felt that the tension between them was forgotten and smiled back at her, then that moment ended.

A figure spotted the group and made his way to them, that figure was none other than the cause for Enjolras outburst the week before- Theodule. He quickly walked over to where Eponine was standing and tapped her on the shoulder, Eponine turned around and her already broad smile seemed to double in size. Surprise filled her eyes and she had a dreamy look on her face, Enjolras' face was the exact opposite- he pressed his lips together and had an icy look on his face. Theodule took his spot next to Eponine and their attention was turned back to the game; however Enjolras' attention kept going back to the two people in front of him. He notice that Theodule put his hand on Eponine's back right in between her shoulder blades and would point and motion to various things throughout the game. Eponine giggled several times and bushed strands of her hair behind her ear as he did so and it took all of Enjolras' will-power not to step in and tear them apart.

_He just met her! How can he already be so comfortable with her? Why is she allowing it? Hasn't she already learned not to give up her emotions so easily?_

These questions, along with others, plagued Enjolras throughout the whole the entire first half of the game. They were so prominent in his mind that he wasn't even paying attention to the game, he couldn't tell you what just happened or even who was winning. Half time couldn't have come fast enough, they all finally had the opportunity to separate and mingle.

The group quickly came down from the bleachers and headed for the concession stand. While they walked down Theodule kept his hand on Eponine's back as if he was guiding her out and Enjolras had a tense look on his face.

Joly gave him a concerned look, "Are you alright?"

Enjolras automatically shook off the tense look and turned toward his friend, "Yea I'm fine, just thinking about an exam I have to study for next week."

Grantaire laughed from behind them, "Typical, even at a game you are still uptight. You need to loosen up and enjoy the night mon ami!"

He rolled his eyes at his carefree friend but remained silent and kept walking. _For some reason I don't think this is a night I will be enjoying._

As they entered the large lobby and walked to the concession stand Enjolras couldn't help but notice Theodule steal some glances at girls who were passing by, his eyes flirtatious and a smirk on his face; for some reason that really pissed off Enjolras. Eponine sat down at a table with Theodule and the two other girls; the others saw then and decided to join. Enjolras acted quickly and took the other open seat next to Eponine. When he sat down he noticed that she scoffed mutely and shot an icy glare his way. At first things seemed to be calm and normal, but it was always calm before a storm.

"So how long are you here for?" Eponine asked Theodule.

"Well I go to the University but we have a month and a half break for the holidays. We, that being my mother and I, are visiting my grandfather for the time and we plan on staying until just after New Years."

"So you are a college boy?" asked Courfeyrac with interest

"Yes, but I am only a freshman. The school I go to is only about an hour from here, hence why we decided to visit my grandfather this year."

"Must be nice being in college" Eponine commented.

"Yea especially with all the party and girls." Added Grantaire with a devilish smirk

"I suppose, but sometimes college girls don't compare to what you can find outside of it." Theodule responded with a glance at Eponine.

Enjolras could feel his blood boil and took a deep breath before addressing Theodule to change the subject. "So Theodule, what is your major at school?"

"Business"

"Good choice." Enjolras replied coolly, "Any reason why?"

"I feel that the business world would prove to be very successful, as long as you are on right side of it."

Enjolras raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that there are a lot times when businesses fail because they fail to properly deal with unsatisfied workers and protesters. They become way too soft, sometimes you just need to lay down the iron fist and find other means to get rid of those insignificant problems. Who really cares if a few unfortunate people are unhappy, as long as a company is making money then they shouldn't worry over it."

The next thing everyone knew Enjolras was in a heated debate with Theodule who would continuously scoff and deem Enjolras opinions and petty and irrational. Many of the things Theodule said were brushed off by others but taken to heart by Enjolras. After a good ten minutes of watching them go at it Eponine finally stepped in and tried to stop them. She was somehow able to get Enjolras to stop his rants and to get Theodule to wipe the insulted look off his face. After her interruption Theodule stood up and looked over everyone.

"As much as I would love to stay and chat I feel that I have over stepped my boundaries. I hope you all have a nice evening." He nodded to each of them before taking Eponine's hand and placing a kiss on it, "And you too, have a good night Eponine."

She blushed, "T-thank you."

As he walked away Eponine heard Enjolras scoff and mutter something incoherent under his breath. She automatically frowned and shot a glance at the rest of her friend to leave her and Enjolras alone. They all understood and skidded away without question. As soon as they were out of ear shot Eponine glared at Enjolras. She grabbed his wrist and led him right outside the doors of the school facing the parking lot so not to get any intruders in their conversation.

"What the hell is your problem!?" She exclaimed as soon as they were outside.

"What are you talking about I don't have a problem."

She sneered, "Oh don't play coy with me Mr. Enjolras it pretty obvious to everyone in the tri-state area that you have a problem with Theodule!"

"I'm pretty sure that is an exaggeration." He responded calmly

She looked at him is disbelief. "Honestly Aiden! What is up with you?"

He shrugged "I'm sorry if I don't particularly like Marius' stuck up cousin. He is too arrogant for my liking."

"You haven't even tried to get along with him, ever since the party you have been nothing but cold toward him. He's a nice guy Aiden; I don't see why you are so against him."

"You are only saying that because you have a thing for him."

Once again she looked insulted, "Excuse me but-"

"Don't even try to defend yourself Eponine, just like at the party you two have hitting on each other all night. It's no wonder you are trying to defend him."

"So what if I do? Is that such a bad thing?"

"Only if you don't want to get hurt again"

Her eyes turned into slits, "What are you getting at?"

"Oh please Eponine we both know you fell hard when Marius let you down. Do you really think Theodule will be any different? Think about it Eponine he is a college student, any relationship he has with you will be nothing but a fling! He not actually going to care about you. Wake up and smell the roses Eponine!"

Eponine took in every word he said and each one caused anger and resentment to build up in her until she finally burst. "You're an asshole! And a really shitty friend!"

"I maybe an asshole but I'm the only asshole who gives a shit about you."

She laughed coldly, "Well you have a real nice way of showing it. Sometimes I wonder if you ever even think about half the things you do and their impact on others."

"You are a real piece of work do you know that?!"

"Yeah I do, and this piece of work doesn't need to deal with the fricking marble statue that needs to get his head out of his ass!" She shouted at him, taking a defiant step toward him.

Enjolras grunted in frustration and threw his arms up. In an instant Eponine crouched down a bit and threw her arms over her head- her hands curled up into fist to protect her face. Enjolras saw her reaction and automatically all the anger left his body and was replaced by concern.

"Eponine? I'm not going to hurt you."

Her eyes widen as she realized what she just did. She didn't step back or run, she didn't stand her ground her or yell back; no instead she flinched and just revealed a large clue to the secret she had been trying to hide.

"I-I have to go." She stuttered out quickly as she straightened herself out and tried to make a run for it. It was to no avail as the second she tried to turn away she was held back by someone grabbing her wrist gently.

Enjolras shook his head. "Oh no you don't, I want some answers."

It was all starting to make sense and fit together. From the bruises she tried to hide to the excuses she came up and the off handed comments she had made over the years. Enjolras never wanted to pressure her into revealing something she wasn't comfortable with but this time he just couldn't let it go.

She looked at him pleadingly, "Please don't make me say it."

"You should know me well enough to know that I don't give up easily when I want something." He said gently but firmly as he let go of her wrist.

She took her wrist in her hand and subconsciously started to pull her long sleeves down to her fingertips, another habit Enjolras had taken note of over time.

She spoke softly, "What can I say that you don't already know? I'm sure you figured it all out by now."

"Well your last reaction did just give me the assurance I needed to make my conclusion."

"And what conclusion would that be?"

He paused for a moment, not really sure how to go about this delicately; but he knew the best route would be the direct one, "You're abused." It wasn't a question

She pressed her lips together and shut her eyes as she nodded, as trying to hold back emotions. She proceeded to take the tip of her sleeve and pull it up as far as she could get it. Even in the fading lights Enjolras could see that her arm was imprinted with several bruises, some yellow and fading while others were gray and fresher. She then put her hair to one side of her shoulder and pulled the collar of her shirt to her shoulder so Enjolras could see the damages there that marked the tips of the bruises on her back.

"Is that enough for you?" She asked despondently

He ignored her question, "Why didn't you ever tell us?"

"What was I supposed to say? 'Hey guys my dad beats me up quite a bit but no worries he only does it when I rebel'. Was I really supposed to be that forward?"

Again he ignored her comments, "So what shiner that I asked you about the other day…"

"Work of my dad's as well. He doesn't like it when I call him out on his drinking." She replied as she nervously tucked a wisp of her hair behind her ear.

"Eponine I- I…"

"You don't have to say anything. I know it's all a lot to take in."

Instead of responding Enjolras took out his phone from his pocket.

"What are you doing?" She asked worriedly

"I'm calling the police to report this."

"NO!" She exclaimed as she leaned forward and snatched the phone from his hand, "You can't do that!"

He looked at her in confusion, "Why not?! You are obviously not safe at home and I for one am not going to let you keep getting hurt."

"Enjolras you don't understand; if you turn him in child services will come and take me and Azelma and Gavroche."

"I know that, that's why I need to report this."

"No!" She exclaimed again, "Do you know how the foster system works? Me and my siblings will be separated and I will never get to see them! The foster system is really screwed up and we will probably end up living in a worse situation that we already are. Even if there is hope that we end up living decently my parents aren't just going to leave us alone! It will be hell!"

"Eponine I don't think you are thinking clearly. Compared to what you are dealing with-"

"Enjolras please!" She begged with a pleading expression, "As of now Gavroche is safe with Courfeyrac and Grantaire, Azelma barley gets any beatings and I have a nice steady income from the café. I have just over a year left till I am 18, then I can take custody of Gavroche and Azelma and make sure they are ok. Please Enjolras I am so close, please don't take them away from me." She begged.

Tears were forming in her eyes, but she was doing her hardest to hold them back, and her body was trembling with fear and anxiety. Not knowing what else to do Enjolras wrapped his arm around her and embraced her in an effort to comfort her. Almost automatically she pressed her head against his chest and let a few tears spill out, sniffling and trembling as well. Enjolras held her tightly, almost protectively, and ran his fingers through the hair at the back of her head; right now she needed someone to hold on to and to hold her up and he was going to be that person.

After a few minutes Eponine pulled away and wiped the tears on her face away.

"I'm sorry." She said softly, to which Enjolras told her it was ok. "You can't tell anyone, I don't know how they will react."

Enjolras nodded in understanding, "You have my word. Now let's go back to the game before everyone starts to worry."

Eponine smiled and took his hand, following him back into the school, all past arguments forgotten. Things seemed like they were back to normal but both knew things weren't the same.

* * *

**Wasn't that an interesting chapter...REVIEW PLEASE! I need feedback!**


	29. Chapter 29

Saturday's in December usually don't amount to much unless that day was accompanied by something special….

Eponine laid in her bed all curled up in her warm sheets, her mind wandering in her dreams when all of a sudden a gust of wind from the outside blasted in and caused her windows to open loudly and rattle and caused cold burst of air to fill the tiny room. Eponine groaned and pulled the covers over her head to try to ignore the chaos in her room. She tried her hardest to block it all out but after a few minutes the rattling increased and the room's temperature lowered so much she couldn't stand it any more.

Reluctantly she slid her legs off the bed and walked over to shut the windows, keeping her blanket wrapped around her tightly- she was on auto pilot and walked over with her eyes half-way closed, not really paying attention to anything around her- She pulled the shutter to close the window when she froze. Her hands had come into contact with something cold and wet and automatically her attention went to the white blanket covering her windowsill and the ground outside. In an instant she was up an alert.

_The first snow of the season_, she thought happily as she smiled. Then her smile disappeared as she realized what else the snow entailed. She quickly jumped over to her closet and pulled on a pair of leggings, her jeans, a long sleeve shirt and a warm sweatshirt, she knew she was going to need them. Quietly she got dressed and tiptoed out of her room, careful not to wake Azelma, and into the living room. She kicked on her books and snatched a banana from counter; if she was going to do all she had to do before anyone woke up she was going to have to act fast.

* * *

The sun hit down on the glimmering white ground and reflected back through the window as Courfeyrac woke up. He looked over to see Grantaire passed out on his bedroom floor and Combeferre knocked out in the arm chair. The night before the two of them had come over to hang out with him and Gavroche and watch "Scar face"- though he knew if Eponine ever found out she would skin them all alive for exposing Gavroche to that movie at such a young age- and after wards the two guys decided to crash at his place and play poker until they passed out, it was evident as Grantaire was passed out on top of the poker cards and chips and Combeferre had a pile of them on his torso. Gavroche had fallen asleep during the movie and Grantaire had carried him to his room before partaking in the poker match. Without thinking Courfeyrac got up and chucked pillows in the directions his friends to wake them up before he went to go use the bathroom. On his way back he passed the top of the stairs and couldn't help but notice Gavroche sitting in a chair by the couch in the living room and staring out the window. Courfeyrac looked at him with concern, not only was Gavroche awake way too early for someone his age on a Saturday morning but he gaze out the window was almost sad.

"Gav?" He called out to the little boy

Gavroche flinched as if awoken from a dream and turned to look up at Courfeyrac. His apathetic face was soon replaced with a toothy grin.

"Morning Courfeyrac! What are you doing up so early?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I noticed it was snowing when I woke up and saw my window, I couldn't fall back asleep after that." He said, though there was a hint of sadness in his voice.

"You ok?" He asked with worry

"Yeah, it's just the last time it snowed Eponine and Azelma took me to the park we had a snow day." He explained, "Usually I see Eponine everyday and I don't miss her and Azelma but I guess I miss times like that."

Courfeyrac frowned a bit before an idea struck him a grin spread across his face. "Hang on bud I have an idea!"

In a flash he ran back to his room to find the other occupants just in the mist of waking up. The second he popped back into the room he yelped at them to get up and dressed and that he had something big planned. Grantaire swore at him under his breath before he sat up and rubbed the sleep away from his eyes. As they were getting up Courfeyrac explained his master plan to them and suddenly their energy was increased tenfold. Within no time they all were up and ready and rushed down the stairs to meet Gavroche in the living room.

When the little boy saw them entering with big smiles on their faces his became a bit apprehensive.

Grantaire was the first to speak, "Hey Gavroche how are you this morning?"

"Just fine I guess."

"Courfeyrac was telling us that he thinks you like the snow."

"Well he is wrong." He said with pout, "I love the snow!"

"What a relief," exclaimed Grantaire, "because we came up with a great idea."

"We!?" cried Courfeyrac, "You mean me; it was my idea in the first place!"

"Well we are all going to partake in it aren't we?"

"It's not as if it is a big sacrifice to take part in it."

Gavroche jumped from his seat, "Can you guys please just tell me what the big idea is!? Please, the suspense is killing me."

Combeferre chuckled and crotched down so he was eye level with Gavroche, "Well we were thinking since it's the first snow of the season and it's a Saturday….why don't we have a little fun."

"What kind of fun?" asked the boy mischievously.

Combeferre smirked and whispered the idea in Gavroche ear. The small boy's eyes widened as he heard the plan and an evil look came on his face.

"That plan is brilliant you're a genius!" He exclaimed but then something else entered his head as well and he whispered something in Combeferre's ear. Combeferre considered the idea before nodding, Gavroche was young but he certainly had evil plans up in his head.

"And you think I'm the genius."

"I may be just a pup but you better run for cover when the pup grows up!"

* * *

Eponine wiped her forehead with back of her gloved hand as she finally finished shoveling the last bit of snow off the driveway and side walk. In the Thenardier household very time it snowed it was up to Eponine to do all the labor that came with it- her parents were way to lazy, Azelma hated manual labor and Gavroche was too small to help, though he tried, leaving Eponine as the only person left to do it. It was very tedious work but it needed to be done. She took one final breath and set the shovel against the wall next to garage and made her way inside the house. Warmth filled her automatically as she stepped inside and peeled off her wet gloves and shook the white flakes off her black hair. Without making a sound she crept across the hallway and opened the door leading her to her 'basement'. She swiftly went down the steps and crotched downed into a small area off to the side, quickly finding the heaters she was looking for- her parents were cheap and didn't like to pay for heating so insisted on never raising the temperature on the thermostat, so Eponine got resource full and purchased five small heaters without them knowing, they were pissed when they first found out but after Eponine said that she got them from a second hand and paid minimal they calmed down- the house was cold and she wasn't going to be able to handle it much more. Without thinking she set them up, placing two in the living room, one in the kitchen and one in the room she shared with Azelma, the heaters were small but they did their job.

As soon as she set up the last heater Eponine let out a sigh and collapsed on the couch while she stretched out her hand to gather some warmth from the nearby heater, over the past two hours she had set up the heaters, cleared out the driveway and sidewalk, brushed the snow off her parents car, and sprinkled kitty litter on the wheels of the car and the driveway – she learned long ago that kitty litter worked great as an inexpensive alternative to ice salt- it was fair to say she was tired and it was only 9 am. She closed her eyes for a moments rest and the next thing she was aware of was vibration coming from her back pocket. She groaned and slipped out her phone, cursing whoever just texted her and ruined her moment of peace. It was Courfeyrac

**_Courfeyrac_**_; Meeting at Enjolras' in 30 minutes! Be there or be square!_

**_Eponine_**_: Why must you always plan things at E's house? Don't you have a house? If not I am taking back custody of Gavroche!_

**_Courfeyrac_**_: Calm down Ep. We just have something fun planned that would best take place at Enjolras'_

**_Eponine_**_; Fine I'll be right over. _

Eponine rolled her eyes at her phone as if Courfeyrac could somehow magically see her before composing another message

**_Eponine:_**_ Why do you let Courfeyrac make plans at your house? Do you have no back bone?_

**_Enjolras: _**_WHAT?! What do you mean make plans at my house?_

**_Eponine:_**_ I just got a text from him telling us all to meet at your house….._

**_Enjolras:_**_ I wasn't informed of this!_

**_Eponine:_**_ I guess you aren't cool enough to invite_

**_Enjolras_**_: It's my house Eponine. A lack of invitation is not exactly the problem_

**_Eponine_**_: Lighten up and taken a joke Enjy! _

**_Enjolras_**_: I'm not responding to that_

**_Eponine_**_: *sigh* So you didn't get a text?_

**_Enjolras_**_: Wait! I just got a text from Combeferre saying that they need to talk to me and to wait on my front door for them in 45 minutes._

**_Eponine_**_: Oh boy…._

**_Enjolras_**_: What?_

**_Eponine_**_: Nothing I just realized what they are planning, I'll at your house in 15 minutes! We need to discuss battle plans_

**_Enjolras_**_: Battle plans for what?_

**_Enjolras_**_: Eponine?_

Eponine locked her phone and quickly slid it into her pocket. She scurried down to her room, she closing the door behind her. She ran down to Azelma's bed and fiercely shook her awake.

"'Zelma wake up!" She growled as she shook her

Azelma woke up with a frown on her face, "What's the big idea!?"

"The boys have a plan and I intend on going through with one of my own." She said mischievously

"Why do you intend on ruining their plan again?"

"Who said anything about ruining their plan? I was thinking more along the lines of modifying it."

"You are cruel." Azelma said half asleep

"I know, but I don't mind." She replied happily

As Azelma got up Eponine pulled out her phone and composed a few more messages, if she was going to foil the guy's plan with one of her own she was going to need reinforcements.

They all stood out in front of Enjolras' house, hidden in the bushes and trees. The army was made up of Azelma, Cosette, Marius, Musichetta, Eponine and Enjolras. Most of them stayed down but Enjolras stood on the sidewalk by the gate, playing live bait. When Eponine realized that the others had told Enjolras the wrong time to meet them she knew they were planning on attacking him with snowballs, as much as she would have loved to see him covered in snow she had a better idea. They were all more than thrilled to partake in Eponine's battle, most had nothing else to do and could have really used the fun. She had texted Courfeyrac telling him she would be arriving at Enjolras' house at a different time and then told the others to meet her at Enjolras' explaining the plan via text. Looking out one last time at the boys who she could see making their way toward them she smirked devilishly and returned to her friends.

She passed Enjolras who was leaning at the gate, "You ready for this Enjy?"

"You make it sound as if we are going to war." He stated sarcastically as he glanced over at her. She had a knit hat upon her head but the bottom of her black hair still blew in the wind, brushing her reddened cheeks and lips.

"We just might be." She said gravely.

He rolled his eyes at her, "I still can't believe you are foiling their plan. They must have been so proud of it."

"Which makes foiling it all the more fun, don't you think?"

"I can't argue with your logic."

She nodded in pride. "I just wish there was somewhere I could station myself for the best ambush position….I just don't know where."

"Well you better think fast because they will be here any minute."

A worried look came over her face and she bit down on her lip, her eyes wandering to try to find somewhere she could go, then she found it. Without warning she ran up to a nearby oak tree and hopped to get a grip on the first branch, once she did she pulled herself up and began to climb.

"Eponine what the hell are you doing?! You are going to get yourself killed!"

"Oh don't get your panties in a twist; I'm just climbing a tree. This is the perfect spot; they will never expect me from up here."

"I pray you're right."

Eponine was about to respond when they heard murmuring voices and footsteps approaching them. Without a word Eponine climbed just a bit higher into the tree and sat down while Enjolras went back to his spot by the gate, it was show time.

"Hey Enjy!" Called Grantaire as they neared him, all of them holding their hands behind their back

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?"

"Eppy calls you that."

He rolled his eyes, "I lost all hope of her not calling me that, and she hates it when you refer to her as Eppy."

"And Pony too" added Combeferre

"That one is self-explanatory" Commented Enjolras. "So what did you guys want to talk to me about?"

"Oh nothing really," began Gavroche, "We just want to conduct an experiment."

Enjolras raised an eyebrow, "What kind of experiment?"

Gavroche gave him a toothy grin, "We just wanted to see if marble could be affected by the cold."

Gavroche was about to turn his head to look toward the other guys when Enjolras took a step back and made a run for it just as a snowball shot out of thin air and landed right in Courfeyrac's face. Courfeyrac stumbled back, temporary blinded by the snow in his eyes. All the guys turned their heads sharply to see where the snow could have come from but only found themselves pelted with more snow. They finally came to their senses and retreated, ducking behind some bushed behind them. What they didn't expect was Musichetta waiting for them nearby and throwing a snowball at the back of Joly's head.

Gavroche picked up some snow and packed it into a ball, chucking it in Musichetta's direction, hitting her directly in the chest and causing her to fall back. Joly yelped in shock when she fell, causing the others to look at him, he tried his best to hide his embarrassment as he saw her get up and run away after that looking perfectly fine. Not wanting to waste another second all the boys sprinted from their hiding spot and crotched by a small hedge instead.

"They are on to us boys!" Hissed Gavroche through his teeth

"How did Enjolras know?" asked Feuilly in confusion

"Someone must have told him. Someone sneaky, cunning and able to plan something perfect in 10 minutes…..If I have to guess I would say my sister is behind this! She is just that good!"

Just then his sister popped up from a bush a few feet in front of them, "That's so sweet of you to say Gavroche, but unfortunately Eponine was behind this not me."

"I knew it!" exclaimed the little boy right before a snow ball was thrown at him. "You will pay for that Azelma!" He cried while he shook his fist in the air at her.

"You will have to catch me first!" She teased as she went back down under her bush to avoid a snowball coming at her.

Gavroche moved to go after her but Grantaire held him back. "Don't worry little buddy I got her handled." He said just as he jumped out of their spot and went after Azelma with a snow ball in hand

"I hope you don't mean what I think you do." Gavroche said with a wary tone

Courfeyrac chuckled, "I swear you listen to Eponine way too much."

"That's because I know a lot of things Courfeyrac!" Her voice called out, but no one could seem to see where it came from.

They all got scared by her sudden voice but didn't ponder over it too much as they soon where coming up with a battle plan. Each of them were to partner up take another person from Eponine's team, Grantaire had already gone for Azelma so Joly opted for Musichetta while Combeferre and Feuilly decided to tackle Marius and Cosette, that left Eponine and Enjolras for Gavroche and Courfeyrac. With the plan set they all marched off into battle and it turned into chaos, all anyone could see for the next few minutes was falling snow and people dropping.

Courfeyrac and Gavroche stuck to each other's side and kept a close eye out for either Enjolras or Eponine, they had a feeling that were one would be so would the other. They neared a large tree trying to see if they could spot either of them from the distance, what they didn't expect was an aerial attack. Before they knew what was happening their heads were being pelted on by cold snow from above. Both shielded their heads and looked up to see an outline of a girl in the tree.

"I should have known you would pull something like this 'Ponine!" Gavroche called up to her

"Yeah you really should have!"

Suddenly they were hit on from the side and saw Enjolras standing behind a wall from the side of house. The snow from above and the side kept coming at them and neither knew how to handle it. Not being able to take both of them at once Gavroche and Courfeyrac temporarily retreated and ran back into the safety of the bushes. As they ran back Eponine started laughing hysterically, bending over and wrapping her hands around her stomach to hold herself together. Enjolras smiled up at her walked over under the tree, looking up at the braches to try to spot her.

"You know you are a genius!"

"Yeah I do!" She smirked, "I better get out of her now that they knew my hiding spot."

He nodded, "Good idea!"

"Watch out I'm coming down!" She called as she moved her foot to slide off the branch. However the branch was more slippery that she anticipated and her foot ended up slipping off the side of the branch, momentum and physics kicked in and soon Eponine literally tumbled down the tree, crashing through the branches on her way down. She landed on her bum on the cold ground beneath her. "Ow…" she groaned

"'Ponine! Are you alright!?" Enjolras exclaimed as he bent down toward her.

"Yeah just peachy…" She moaned pain obvious in her tone.

"You really wanted to get down from that tree didn't you?"

"Very funny," she said as she narrowed her eyes at him, "Will you at least help me up?"

He nodded and took her hand as he helped her to her feet. She was just about to thank him when they heard the sound of footsteps running toward them. Enjolras quickly acted out of instinct and ran, folding onto Eponine's hand tightly and pulling her in front of him. They quickly made their way through the snow, leaving foot prints in their wake.

"Where are we going?" asked Eponine as they ran

"To the barricades!" He exclaimed proudly

Eponine raised an eyebrow and opened her mouth to question him when they reached his backyard and he spotted the patio set. He kept dragging her along until they reached some furniture and he knocked it over, laying chairs and tables on their side and putting them together until he had a well structured barricade lying out in front of them.

Just before the others neared them Enjolras took the red table cloth lying on the floor and attached it to the garden hoe to make a make-shift flag to hang on their barricade.

"Wow," Eponine giggled, "when you get into battle mode you really get into battle mode."

He shrugged, "It's my competitive edge."

She laughed again until the boys appeared and called out at them.

"You at the barricade listen to this!" yelled Grantaire "We have captured all your teammates! You have no chance! No chance at all! Why throw your lives away?"

Enjolras looked over at Eponine, "Let us fail facing our foes, make them bleed while they can."

She nodded, "Make them pay through the nose. Make them pay for every man!"

They came to an agreement and the two of them commenced throwing snowballs at the opposing side. The two actually held up pretty well and the battle went on for awhile, until Eponine was hit flat in the chest twice and Enjolras was shot with eight snowballs at once, then it was over.

"WE WIN!" exclaimed Gavroche as Grantaire plopped him on his shoulders and Courfeyrac did a happy dance.

Eponine laughed from her spot on the floor, the kind of laugh was very contagious. Enjolras rolled over so he was on his side and looked over at her, she was flat on her face with her dark hair sprayed out beneath her head- sharply contrasting the white snow- and her cheeks and nose were red. It just stared to snow again at that point Enjolras also couldn't help but notice that the falling snow that landed in Eponine's hair stood out and looked like stars in a moonless night. She got up and smiled at him, looking very happy from the experience they just had, Enjolras was just about to help her up when he was hit in the face by a snow ball thanks to Eponine. The next thing anyone knew Eponine was running away from Enjolras who was chasing her with a snowball in hand trying to get back at her. Everyone watched in bewilderment as their exchanged kept on going and moved out of their way if they got too close. The mini battle ended when Enjolras was finally able to stop Eponine by grabbing her around her waist and pulling her in, unfortunately for him Eponine was smart and used the momentum against him further causing them both to fall over face first in the snow.

The excitements finally toned down and once they were all back on their feet they had all made the consecutive agreement to go inside Enjolras' house for some cocoa and a movie. Eponine stepped into the giant house and automatically kicked off her boots before setting them on the side and peeling off her hat and gloves so she could shake the snow out of her hair.

"Jeez Eppy are you part dog?" asked Grantaire as the specks of snow flew off of Eponine's head and onto him.

"I'm not going to answer that." She said simply with an eye roll.

Most of the friends made their way to Enjolras' huge living room and piled into the sofas and chairs, once they all settled in they began arguing over what movie to see and other random stuff just like any other day. Eponine stayed in the kitchen and go to making cocoa for everyone, she was cold from the massive snowball fight and making hot things in the kitchen was one thing that always warmed her up. She finally made all 10 cups of cocoa when Enjolras came in to help her; she was done so he offered to help take them to their friends. Eponine smiled in thanks and took two cups at a time, after the third trip they were both done and walked into their friends still arguing over what movie to watch. Not being able to take it any more Eponine rolled her eyes and marched over to a bickering Combeferre and Feuilly. She ordered them back to their seats and picked out a movie instead, it came to no one's surprise that she selected _X-Men: First Class_ as their movie of the day. Proudly Eponine strode back to sit with the rest of them but what she didn't see was Musichetta's legs stretched out in front of her, Eponine ended up tripping over them and falling backward until she landed on someone's lap. That someone was Enjolras. She looked at him and her cheeks deepened in color as he looked a bit uncomfortable at her being on top of him.

"I'm sorry." She said quickly as she slid off of him and squished into the empty space between him and Courfeyrac.

"It's fine, no harm no foul." He shrugged.

Both people were completely oblivious to the snickers and raised eyebrows going in their direction from around the room. It was at that moment Grantaire that bursted into the room carrying a box with him.

"Look what I found in the hall closet!" He exclaimed as he set the box in front of his friends

"Why were you snooping around my closet?" Asked Enjolras in irritation

"I was looking for something."

"What thing?"

"It doesn't matter, what does matter is what I found!" He cheered.

Grantaire opened the box and showed the contents to everyone in the room. As soon as Enjolras realized what was in the box he flinched and a thousand curse words hit his head. The box in question contained mementos from his freshman year of high school, that being his yearbook, pictures and the thing he hated most….the giant glasses.

"Who did the hipster glasses belong to?" Azelma asked

Combeferre grinned, "I almost forgot about those, they were Enjolras."

"No don't go spreading it around!" shrieked Enjolras

Eponine shot up from her seat, "What?!"

"Yep, let's just say that Enjolras didn't exactly hit puberty till the summer before his sophomore year of high school."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked with a raised eyebrow and fiery curiosity in her eyes. Combeferre handed her the yearbook and another picture for her to look at and the moment she did a small laugh escaped her throat before she was able to stop it. There was no doubting the person in the picture was Enjolras, they both possessed the same eyes, hair and facial structure but the Enjolras in the photo was about 5 inches shorter than the one sitting next to her, his face had ache and above all he had giant hipster glasses on. "Dude, you were a nerd!"

Enjolras rolled his eyes and collapsed back on his seat, "I know, don't remind me." He groaned

"How did I not know this?"

"You didn't meet us till the year after," explained Combeferre, "over the summer Enjolras finally hit puberty, he had a growth spurt and bulked up. Not to mention he lost the glasses."

"And he lost his squeaky voice too!" added Grantaire

Eponine laughed, "His what?"

Enjolras' eyes widened, "No don't tell her-"

"His squeaky, high pitched prepubescent voice, it was one of the funniest think ever!" Answered Grantaire with a smirk

Enjolras glared at them all, "Yes ha ha, let's all laugh at geeky Enjolras."

Eponine was about to laugh again but brought her fist to her mouth and bit down on it to keep her from doing so, causing another glare from Enjolras.

"What I wasn't laughing, I was just hungry…for my fist."

Grantaire sat back on the armchair and looked over at his friends, "Do you remember the protest he tried to start freshman year?"

Courfeyrac laughed, "How could we forget?"

"Yeah," added Marius, "I was in junior high and I still heard about it. Come to think about it you guys made me help you with it."

"Wait!" Exclaimed Eponine, "Me and the girls haven't heard it."

"No we are NOT discussing that!"

Grantaire smirked, "We aren't….but I am."

_The school had cut funding again, they took money out the budget to help aid students to instead add money to the sports fund, now field trips cost more money than before and the free/reduced lunch program was almost obsolete. Under privilege kids were now suffering while the rich ones began to prosper. Enjolras was not going to stand for it. He had joined student government that year and saw that the school was practically doing nothing to help those who needed it most; even most of the teachers hated the situation. One day at lunch, after much planning, he got up on the middle of the period and stood at the table tops, yelling and speaking to all those who would listen._

_"My fellow students, we cannot stand for this injustice in OUR *squawk* school! Too long we have been at the mercy of jocks and rich kids and now THEY *squeak* have gotten even more of an advantage! I ask YOU is that FAIR!? Is that JUST?! Let me answer that for you, NO IT'S NOT! However nothing will change if WE just *squaw* stand around and do nothing! We need to form our ranks, we need to stand up! I ask will you take your place with me!?"_

_At that moment his friends unleashed an avalanche of flyers from the balconies and the paper rained down on the entire student body. Despite his squeaky voice cracking and his geeky physic many people cheered and seemed to join him and the rest of them! They all boycotted all the games, making the school loose even more money, and sent out flyers. Enjolras even recruited his friend Marius from the middle school to help him spread the word, it worked like a charm as Marius enlisted help from his close friend who was apparently one of the lower privileged students effected by the budget cuts. Everything went well, until Marius friend was suspended after taking the bullet for him when word got around the school and students started rioting. After that the school cracked down on all of them and Enjolras was eventually singled out as the person who started it all. It was fair to say that they felt like they failed, but the school district recognized the problem and their efforts were not for waste as budgeting went up and things seemed to be looking up. After the smoke cleared though Enjolras often got teased by some seniors who said he was just a pup trying to play with the big dogs. At one point some of them stopped him on his way to class and pushed him around, making his glasses fall off his head and nuggeting his backpack. Enjolras thanked his lucky stars that summer when he grew 5 inches and matured. The following year he tried out for football and actually got in and due to his efforts freshman year he was nominated for student government president sophomore year. No longer was he geeky Aiden._

"What that geek with the big glasses was you?" Eponine question as soon as Grantaire was done with his story, "You're the reason I was suspended for two days?"

"Yeah…." Enjolras admitted apprehensively, "Wait you were the person who helped Marius spread the cause?"

They both stared at each other for awhile due to the shock of the realization, Eponine's suspension was the reason everything went well; it made more people unite.

Eponine broke the silence, "Wow dude you really have changed in the past three years. I had no idea _that_ was you! Talk about getting better with age."

"Oh thank you…" Enjolras replied sardonically

Eponine giggled, "Well the important part is that you're hot now. Girls are swooning all over you."

"Don't remind me…"

Grantaire shouted at them, "Hey love birds keep it down the movie stared!"

Both Eponine and Enjolras rolled their eyes at him before settling down next to each other and tuning into the movie. Enjolras couldn't help but notice Eponine leaning against him and put the back of her head against his shoulder. He glanced down at her hands playing absentmindly with his hipster glasses, somehow he was glad he never got rid of them. He looked around the room at his friends, it was moments like these that stayed implated in his head.


	30. Chapter 30

Eponine walked to her the auditorium with a light heart. Something about that day was just making her happy, she didn't know why but she didn't question it. As she entered the auditorium she heard Erik playing the piano before she actually saw him. She crept in and took a seat at one of the chairs in the audience, Erik's eyes were closed and his body was swaying to the sound of the music, he didn't even notice the girl come in. Eponine couldn't help but be in awe of the way Erik was connected to his music- it wasn't a way to express his soul, no music was his soul- every note was a different part of him and he expressed it beautifully; not many people were that in touch with their artistic side but she admired those who were. There was an ache in her heart however as she knew that more people focused on his unfortunate appearance than his masterpieces, she knew that one day that bitterness would build up and get to him and implant itself within him, part of it already had. His fingers continue to dance over the keyboards and create all different kinds of melodies, it wasn't until he finished the last not that he opened his eyes and noticed Eponine sitting there in the audience seat.

He looked at her straight in the eyes as he gave him a nod, "You are very quite."

"Why thank you, I take pride in that." She replied with a smirk, "I like your latest composition. It was amazing."

"Thanks" He replied coldly

She raised an eyebrow at him, "Is there something wrong?"

He shook his head but after Eponine gave him a warning glare he let out a sigh and ran a hand through his dark hair.

"It's Christine isn't it?" She asked to which he gave a small nod. "You know she was never yours to keep."

"I know that, it just that….well no one would listen no one but her heard what the outcast hears. I was alone in the world though I longed to teach it and then a voice in the gloom seemed to scream 'I hear you!' She was the only person who didn't run away from me."

"Her father had just died and she really needed to get away from it all. You were the one who helped her through music." Eponine said, trying to reassure him while at the same time avoid getting his hopes up. She knew Christine somewhat, or she knew of her. She was a sweet girl who was friends with another girl names Meg, freshman year her father died and she actually had to move in with her. Christine was somewhat shy and tended to blend into the background, until the day before a choir concert when the lead girl, Carlotta, solo got sick and Christine had to sing her solo- it turned out her voice was amazing and ever since then she had been the highlight of every choir activity, much to Carlotta's dismay.

"Everything was going well until her childhood friend Raoul decided to transfer back into the school. One word from him and she was lost from me forever!" He snapped.

Those words hit Eponine harshly, she knew exactly what he felt- pain, betrayal and hopelessness- but at the same time she knew what she needed to say. "Sometimes you love someone and they don't love you back, other times someone loves you and you don't love them and sometimes you love someone and they love you but you can't be together. Love's a curious thing you know."

"Tell me about it." He said with anger in his voice. "Life just isn't fair is it?!"

Eponine licked her lips and took a deep breath before going on, "You care for Christine don't you?"

"Yes I do."

"Then let her go." She said quietly but confidently

"What are you saying?"

"If you love something let it go, and if it loves you too it will come back."

"But that if she doesn't?"

"Then she was never yours to loose in the first place." She said with a sad expression, "I know it sounds awful and it wouldn't be easy but in the end it will be for the better. Trust me I know, once the band-aid is off the scab will heal and fade away."

"You have a point, I mean you seem to have made it through well."

"I had a great friend to help me through it….." She said with a smile as she though back to him, "Anyway," she continued, breaking out of her trance and digging into her bag, "I actually have something for you."

"Y-you have something…..for me?" He stuttered, he didn't have many friends and the only gifts he got were from his family members.

"Well yea, we go off on winter break today and I while I was shopping last weekend I saw this and though you would like it." With that she have handed him a large package wrapped in shiny red paper with a bow on it. "You can open it now or Christmas Day I don't really care, I just hope you like it."

"Wow, t-thank you Eponine. This was really nice of you."

"I'm just a nice person I guess." She teased before she felt her phone vibrate and checked it to see what was up. "Hey I have to go but I do hope that whenever you open that gift you like it. Merry Christmas!"

Without another word she smiled and turned on her heel to leave the auditorium. Erik would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy Eponine's company, while he liked being along most of the time it didn't hurt to talk to have a friend, if that's what he called her. Eponine in his opinion was strong and entirely callous in his opinion, meaning that she had a rough exterior after being through so much, much like how a boxer get's calloused hands. She didn't see him for his face and instead tried to understand him, no pity just empathy. He looked down at the package in his hands and curiosity overtook him, gently he ripped the edge of it and out slid the gift. Erik gasped the second he saw it, it was a leather bound book with a simple silver lock and read icon on the front but inside it was made up of blank sheet music.

_How did she manage to get such an amazing gift? _He thought as he flipped through the pages of the book in awe. He flipped back to the front page and noticed a note written to him in ink on the back of the front cover.

_Erik,_

_Times can be hard but music sets you free. We each have our own talents and yours is music! Let this book help you make the music of the night and make your music take flight. _

_~Eponine_

* * *

Spirits were high and anxious as the clocked ticked away the seconds that would mark the end of the day and the beginning of winter break. Finals were over and students were squirming in their seats and looking out the window into the snow covered world as if that would make time go by faster. Even Enjolras who loved school was anxious to get out. Two weeks off meant two weeks free of pressure; he could work in peace without any stress.

Grantaire leaned over his seat and whispered to Enjolras and Courfeyrac who were seated right behind him, "You excited for winter break?"

Courfeyrac nodded, "Who isn't?"

"The marble man perhaps?" Grantaire replied

"I'll have you know that I am very much excited for winter break! As much as I love learning I would love a decent break."

Courfeyrac chuckled, "He sounds almost normal."

Enjolras narrowed his eyes at him, "Ha ha very funny."

Grantaire dismissed their bickering and changed the subject. "So are you guys excited for the epic parties this year?"

"You mean you New Year's party?" asked Courfeyrac, "You've only been talking about it for the past week of we are excited!"

"Let's not forget the Christmas party at the Café." Added Enjolras, "I know Mr. Myriel would appreciate it if we went"

"Well of course we are going to go!" Replied Joly from his spot a few desk away from them, he had heard most of their conversation.

The four boys talked for a bit longer before the bell finally rang and echoed through the room. All at once everyone sprang up and practically sprinted for the door, Grantaire included. Enjolras let out a dry laugh and took his time getting his books together; he knew that the traffic would be horrendous and it would be best to wait it out rather than beat it. He gathered his books and strolled out of the room and down the hall, completely the opposite of the chaos going on around him. As he made his way to his locker he noticed a figure weaving its way in and out of the crowd with ease, it took him all of a second to realize who it was.

"'Ponine!" He called out hoping she would hear him.

She did, "Hiya Enjy." She greeted with a toothy grin as she slipped over to his side quickly and walked with him.

"You excited for winter break?" He asked

"Definitely!" She replied cheerfully, "No school and no worries."

"Any fun plans?"

"Well tomorrow I am probably going to be spending the whole day decorating the house for Christmas."

"You haven't done that yet?"

"Well it's not like I have time…" she said defensively, "and it's laborious work! The tree is really heavy and the lights take me forever."

"Do you do it on your own?"

"Not exactly, Azelma does the small stuff like decorating the bottom of the tree and setting up the Christmas village, but I'm the tall one so I do the heavy lifting, literally."

"That's unfortunate…."

"Tell me about it. But hey it's life, what can I do?"

"Fair point," he replied with a nod. It was then that he noticed that the hallway was much emptier than before and the parking lot would be safer to exit at that time. "Would you and Azelma like a ride home?"

"Monsieur I would like nothing better." She teased

"Monsieur? Something tells me someone aced their French final."

"You would be correct!" She cheered gleefully, "It's all thanks to you! I just wish I felt the same way about my physics final."

"We worked on Physics though…." He replied in confusion.

"I know but I still don't get it….I get the other subjects but I honestly just don't comprehend physics! I just don't!"

"Then we will have to work on that more." He replied simply

"Enjy we just got out of school 5 minutes ago can you wait a few hours before bringing up studies again?"

He sighed, "You're right, I'm sorry."

"I usually am." She said with a smirk, "Now if you will excuse me, I have to run to my locker real quick, I'll meet you by your car in a few minutes."

"Fine with me"

Without another word Eponine scurried down the hallway and to her locker in the junior locker bank. She was more than excited for winter break, sure it would be more time at home but that also meant more time to hang out with her friends and her parents tended to be a bit nicer around the holidays- mostly because it made scamming more people a lot easier. She shook her head as she thought back to her parent's stupid schemes and reached her locker, however the second her eyes landed on her locker she froze a bit. There attached to her locker was a single red rose. Eponine neared it cautiously, and looked over it; the rose was beautiful, even the thorns were gone and a thick black ribbon was tied around it in a bow and a small card attached to it read '_Eponine'_. She gently stroked the rose with her finger and smiled, she had no idea who it was from but that didn't matter…someone actually cared for her.

* * *

"Eponine I could use some help in here!" Azelma called down the hall, hoping her sister would hear her and help her with the last part of the tree.

It was early Saturday afternoon and their parents had done out to the mall and public square to try to pick pocket some people, once again leaving the two girls alone as they always did this time of year. Eponine and Azelma took the opportunity to decorate and get the house ready for Christmas. Eponine had taken some of the boxes out of the basement crawl space and placed them in the living room while Azelma switched out picture frames, set up stockings and the Christmas village. Eponine was stuck doing the more laborious stuff, such as the tree which she was currently struggling with as it was leaning back and she couldn't get it straight again.

"I'll a little busy at the moment!" She called back harshly, it wasn't that she didn't enjoy setting up for Christmas but it was moments like these that made it very stressful. It was at that moment that there was a knock at the door. "Azelma can you please get the door!"

There was no answer. Eponine tried shouting for her sister again but instead she heard the sound of the shower going off.

_Oh sure you choose NOW as the time to shower!_ She thought bitterly as she struggled to hold up the heavy tree whose sharp pine needles were scratching roughly against the skin on her hands and arms. There was another knock at the door and Eponine let out a grunt in frustration.

"It's open!" She called at the door, or rather who was behind it. She knew better than to shout out her door was unlocked but at the current moment she was so focused on not getting crushed by the tree that she wasn't thinking clearly. She heard footsteps coming in as she tried one more time to push the tree up and to her surprise it actually went up with ease. "Wow…" she murmured under her breath.

"Are you really all that surprised?" asked a voice all of a sudden.

Eponine let out a little shriek and jumped back, causing her to trip over the rug and land ungracefully into the armchair behind her, the figure on the other side of the tree to let out a hearty laugh. There on the other side of the tree stood the tall Enjolras, his hair stuffed in a beanie and the bottom of his jeans wet with snow.

She placed one hand over her chest and breathed heavily, "You scared the crap out of me! Was your intention to give me a heart attack? If it was you came pretty darn close!"

Enjolras continued laughing for a few moments before responding to her outburst, "I'm sorry 'Ponine, I never meant to scare you. You have to admit that was pretty funny though."

She giggled and threw a pillow at him. "You have a sick sense of humor."

"Look who's talking." He replied as if challenging her

She rolled her eyes and stood up, "So what exactly are you doing here?"

"Well," he began as he steadied the tree more securely, "you mentioned yesterday how you were going to be stuck by yourself doing all the heavy lifting for Christmas and I thought I may as well come and help."

She placed her hands on her hips, "Why?"

"A, we had nothing better to do and B, you still have a sprained wrist."

She narrowed her eyes, "We?"

"Yes me and…." He turn to look over his shoulder only to notice the absence of his partner in crime, "Dammit…Grantaire!" He yelled

The boy in question poked his head out the kitchen as soon as he heard his name, "You called." He said cheekily

"We have been here for less than two minutes and already you are raiding her kitchen!?"

"I am a growing teenage boy! I need to eat!" He protested

"Sure….." replied Eponine with sass.

Grantaire replied by sticking an apple in his mouth and giving Eponine a wink. The next few hours were all spent helping the Thenardier girls set up their house with Christmas decorations. After Azelma finished her shower she came back into the room and joined in helping- it didn't go unnoticed by Enjolras or Eponine that Grantaire seemed to stick to Azelma like glue and was doing more than his fair share when it came to helping her.

Eponine glared at them, "I swear if he sticks his tongue down my sister's throat I am going to-"

Enjolras put his hand on her shoulder, "Don't swear Eponine; besides what's the worst that could happen?"

"He could seriously hurt her, she is a year younger than me but she is still so innocent. You know that just last week she was telling me that she wanted to be a princess!"

Enjolras chuckled, "And if I recall correctly just a few days ago someone took a fork, called it a dinglehopper, and commenced to use it to brush her hair."

She opened her mouth in shock, "That was different!"

He smirked and raised an eyebrow, "How so?"

"I just saw _The Little Mermaid_ the day before and…..wait why am _I_ defending myself to _you?"_

He shrugged, "I'm not really sure."

She planted her hand on her face, "It was a rhetorical question Enjolras!"

He blinked, "I-I was aware of that."

They continued decorating with Grantaire and Azelma putting up holly and streamers all around the house along with the wreaths and Christmas candles while Eponine decorated the tree and Enjolras carried the boxes to and from the basement. They finished with Eponine holding a ladder steady as Enjolras climbed up it to place the star at the top of it. As Enjolras got down from the ladder Eponine couldn't help but admire the house, it looked festive and wonder and she felt happy.

"Thank you." She said breathlessly as Enjolras came to her side

"For helping you decorate? It really was no problem."

"No, for just being here and helping; it's the principal of it all."

She smiled at him and he returned with a smile of his own. After they finished they all decided to sit on the couch and watch some TV, lucky for them there was a _Law and Order_: _SVU_ marathon on; the victim of the current episode was a girl who infiltrated some meat company to expose it and currently the detectives were interviewing her dog-loving yoga teacher boyfriend. As she watched Eponine couldn't help but think the actor who played the boyfriend was really hot, bit of a hippy but hot. She snuggled down in the armchair she was sitting in and decided to stretch her legs by extending onto the lap of the person sitting in the couch next to her, or more specifically Enjolras lap. When her feet landed on his legs he turned and narrowed his eyes at her to which she returned with a glare, as if daring him to remove her feet. He rolled his eyes at her and tried to turn his attention back to the show but he found that he couldn't.

"So are you going to the Christmas party at the café tomorrow?" He asked Eponine

"Considering that I work there, of course. I would hate to miss it." She answered without taking her eyes off of him, "How about you?"

"Yeah it sounds like fun."

"It definitely will be." She reassured as she glanced at him with the corner of her eye.

_The next day…_

The party was in high spirit was the café was soon filled with people. All the Amis and Mr. Myriel's friends were there and so were Musichetta, Cosette, Azelma and Eponine. The entire room smelled of cinnamon and pine and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. It was a simple party but it was enjoyable. Musichetta and Eponine had both come early to help set up for the party and even served for awhile until Mr. Myriel insisted that they just set the food on the table and let the guest get it themselves so that the two girls could go mingle and enjoy the party. Musichetta beamed instantly and became a social butterfly while Eponine took her sweet time mingling and talking to others. Gavroche had seen her and for a bit the two chatted and caught up with a few things, at one point she licked her thumb and tried to wipe away from chocolate from his face which sent him running in the other direction. After a while she found herself sitting in a soft cushioned armchair by the fire place with her feet under her and watched the flames dance in amazement. Cosette glided over to her with a smile on her face, she was wearing a velvet knee length green dress with black tights and matching flats, in her hair was a ribbon that matched the dress.

"Eppie what are you doing there? Come on join the party!"

Eponine smiled and shook her head, "No thank you, I like my spot here. Besides I've already been here for three hours on my feet I could use a little break."

"You work yourself too hard Eppie." Cosette said in a stern voice though both girls knew she was simply teasing, "I swear you are almost as much of a workaholic as Enjolras."

Eponine gasped, "I find that very insulting!" She teased.

Cosette giggled and shook her head at Eponine, "Ok so maybe you aren't that bad but you should really have some fun."

"Don't worry I will." Eponine reassured

Just then someone came up behind Cosette and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Merry Christmas Angel," Marius said as she hugged her.

"Merry Christmas Marius," Cosette giggled as she turned around to face him. As she did so Marius took his hand out from behind his back to reveal mistletoe; he raised it above both their heads to that they were under it. Cosette giggled playfully and gave him a quick peck on the lips, which soon turned into another longer kiss. Eponine couldn't help the small smile that was tugging on her mouth as she watched them; two months earlier and she could have run out of the room with tears threatening to fall but now the cut in her heart had healed and while she still felt a bit awkward she couldn't help but admit that they made a perfect couple, they were cute and they made each other happy. They were exactly what the other person needed, who could ask for anything more? She was brought out of her dreamy state by someone handing her a mug of hot chocolate and taking a seat on the floor next to her.

"Enjoying the party?" He asked as he leaned against the armchair.

"Yeah I actually am I just needed a breather. A lot of people only enjoy themselves when with a lot of people and when they socialize but I enjoy little moments in solitude too, you know just reminiscing in my thoughts without a worry. Times like that."

"Do you want me to leave you alone with your thoughts then?"

Eponine chuckled at him, "No I quite enjoy your company Enjy, believe it or not."

"I believe it." He stated simply.

The rest of the party was nice from their perspectives, the two of them talked for awhile about random things like school and people, nothing of importance. Enjolras asked Eponine how her home life was going and she said it was better and that her parents were now home less often, much to both their reliefs. The highlight of Enjolras' night however was when Grantaire had started talking Azelma and then all of a sudden pulled a mistletoe from behind his back; Eponine had seen it and practically jumped out of her seat to stop them, luckily Enjolras caught her wrist in time and forced her to remain calm in her seat.

"Azelma is a big girl Ep; she can make her own choices."

"It's just…..ah it's the mistletoe! One of her holiday dreams is to be caught under the mistletoe with a 'cute guy'."

"I'm guessing you are against the whole concept."

"I just never understood why you have to kiss someone under mistletoe, the whole thing is ridiculous. Just because two people are stuck under it does not mean that they actually enjoy it." She ranted before she sighed, "This also does not help with the whole 'reality vs. fantasy' concept I am trying to pound into her."

Enjolras shrugged, "Sometimes a little dreaming can be a good thing."

"I know I just fear how she will react when she wakes up."

"I'm Azelma can handle it, she a lot stronger than you give her credit for."

"I know. So…." She began, trying to change the subject, "How would you react if you got stuck under the mistletoe with someone?"

"It depends on the person." He answered giving no further explanation. Then he jolted up as if he remembered something, "Before I forget I have something for you!" He reached over and grabbed a medium sized red box with a black ribbon, "It's a Christmas present."

Eponine's eyes widened, "You got me a Christmas gift?"

"Well yes, I just thought if anyone deserved one it was you."

"Thank you." She smiled as she held the box; she was suddenly very excited for Christmas morning.

Eventually it was time for her and Azelma to leave and reluctantly the two girls put on their coats and hats and started to make their way out. Azelma walked ahead as Enjolras walked with Eponine to the door of the Café, he decided to leave at that point to. They bid everyone goodbye and were just about to get out of everyone's sights when Gavroche stopped them.

"Listen everybody! Look and see who got stuck under the mistletoe!"

Grantaire started laughing, "Why it's the marble statue and Eppy!"

Enjolras and Eponine both turned slightly red as all attention was drawn on them.

"Let's get out of here." Whispered Enjolras as he started to push Eponine out the door gently

"No wait!" Cried Courfeyrac, "You two need to kiss!"

"No we don't." countered Enjolras, knowing how Eponine felt about mistletoes.

"Yeah you do!" replied Courfeyrac

Enjolras turned toward Eponine, "Listen Ep don't listen to them. If you feel at all uncomfortable we can just ignore them and leave. I know you don't like mistletoes and I certainly won't force you to-"

He was cut off by Eponine quickly pecking his cheek.

"Merry Christmas Enjy" She smiled before she turned on her heel and left.

_Christmas Day_….

Eponine sat at her favorite armchair as she held the box Enjolras gave her on her lap. It was finally Christmas morning and she had finally reached her max waiting point. Without wasting another second she opened the box and took out what was inside, gasping as she realized what it was.

There in her hands was a brown newsy style cap, almost identical to the one she lost.

Enjolras had remembered how much it meant to her and gone out and gotten her another one. The hat was out of style so it wasn't something he would have stumbled upon; he would have had to search for it. This gift took effort. It was the best gift she could have ever gotten.

* * *

**A/N: Told you I wouldn't make you wait 32 chapters... :X**


	31. Chapter 31

**Thanks to all who reviewed/read so far. Please continue! Love you all!**

* * *

Music blasted through the speakers and people danced all around the crowded house. It was New Year's Eve and Grantaire was having his famous party. When it came to parties he was the king of them- though he was all but forced by Eponine to make sure it was a safe enviorment for Gavroche. He invited over half the student body along with some other kids from different schools and they were ready to party. Everyone was excited for the New Year and they could think of no better way to celebrate than to party.

Enjolras sulked in the corner by the food table as he watched the ongoing party; he was never one for parties but he knew that he didn't make an appearance his friends would start bombing up his phone and they might even go so far as to show up at his door step and drag him there, it's happened before. He stayed against the wall and kept looking over at everyone in the room until his eyes landed on someone in particular, Eponine. He was just about to head over to go talk to her when his vision was suddenly blocked by two hands and the smell of expensive perfume was suddenly filling his nose.

"Guess who?" Chirped a high pitched voice

Enjolras groaned and mentally cursed out everyone within a 12 inch radius, "I don't know who?" he asked trying not to sound rude.

"It's me Galinda!" Revealed the voice as she removed her hands from his face

"Hey…." Enjolras found himself mentally swearing again as the girl before him did come out to be none other than Galinda. Enjolras didn't hate Galinda, he tried not to get annoyed by her but he just found her so irritating. He tried to put her down gently but she didn't comprehend it.

_You would think she would get it by now. Eponine would have._ He stopped himself as he realized he just compared her to Eponine and did a double take as he realized he just brought Eponine into his thoughts without a reason. _Get your act together Enjolras!_

Galinda's voice interrupted his internal scolding, "So are you enjoying the party?"

"Yea I was having an ok time."

"Only ok huh? I bet I can make it a little more fun." She said with a flirty smile as she snaked her arms around one of his. Enjolras reacted quickly and pulled his arm out of her grasp causing Galinda to pout and put her hands on her hips. "Ok that's it Aiden!" She yelped, "I have done everything in my power to try to get you to like me! I have smiled at you, given you flirty waves, talked to you in the café- which by the way is nothing compared to Starbucks- and even been put up with that one girl you are constantly tutoring! I am practically throwing myself at you and you don't get the message! What gives?!"

Enjolras looked at her with wide eyes and took a deep breath before replying, "Look Galinda you seem like a nice girl you really do but I'm not interested. I do get your messages, loud and clear actually," _because I am not a blind idiot like Pontmercy,_ "but I don't respond because I am not into you. Don't get me wrong you are a very pretty girl, little stereotypic and made up, but pretty nonetheless but I'm not attracted to you."

She pouted and looked at him with doe eyes, "Why?"

"Well because quite frankly you are just not my type of girl. You are a little too perky and rude at times. I don't like how flirty you are or the fact that while you seem so nice to me I can't help but notice the glares you give at….others when you think I'm not looking." By others he meant Eponine but he didn't want to admit it, "I'm sorry it's just my perspective."

He looked at her with some sincerity in his eyes and looked for a response however he never heard her response for the next thing he was aware of was the contents of a cup of punch being thrown at him and getting all over his shirt. She huffed and glared at him one final time before pivoting on her heel and galloping away.

"Was that really necessary!?" He yelled in irritation. _Women! This is why I don't deal with them!_

"Rough night?" asked a voice behind him.

Enjolras turned to see Eponine staring at him with laughter plaguing her face.

"It was actually uneventful until about a minute ago."

She arched an eyebrow, "What happened?"

"Galinda happened….she tried to flirt with me again and I had to let her down. She does not respond well to gentle let downs so I had to give to her straight."

Eponine's palm hit her face, "Oh no, Enjy what did you do?"

"Nothing I promise! I simply told her that I wasn't attracted to her, she seems nice and is pretty but I just don't like her. She then asked why and I told her. I don't see what I did wrong."

"Ah Enjy, you can't say that! That will either get you bitch slapped or drinks thrown on you!"

"I know…I just experienced the later."

"If you are going to let a girl go you either have to do it gently or make her think it was all her idea and for her betterment." She paused for dramatic effect and then continued in even more dramatically, "Especially when it comes to people like Galinda whose self-esteem and image must not be tarnished."

"Now you tell me."

She shrugged, "There are something you just have to learn on your own. The hard way is the best option sometimes, though I figured that knowlegde was common sense. But hey look on the bright side!"

"What bright side?" He asked as he dabbed his shirt with napkins to try to clean his shirt.

"You got rid of your Galinda problem." She teased as she jabbed him lightly in the shoulder

Enjolras let out a small laugh and Eponine beamed. It was then that he noticed what she was wearing; there on her head was a familiar looking brown hat.

"That's a nice hat you got there." He commented

Eponine smirked and pulled at the tab of it, "Why thank you, it was a gift."

He looked at her playfully, "From whom?"

"Just a close friend of mine," She teased, "You know I never did say thank you for the hat Enjy. It was the best gift I've ever gotten."

"I'm glad you like it."

"I still wonder how you managed to find a hat that looks almost identical to my old one."

He shrugged and brushed off her comment, "Oh I just looked around."

That was a lie; Enjolras had searched high and low for that hat. He went to several different thrift shops, resale stores, and accessory shops looked online and when he gave up hope on ever finding it he stumbled upon it in the window of a costume store. The similarity to her old hat startled him and he got it as soon as he saw it. The hat was Eponine's trademark, she just didn't seem right without it and Enjolras knew how much it meant to her.

"Well either way that makes you the best friend a girl could ever ask for."

"So I beat Marius?"

She nodded.

"I'm glad to hear that." He said indifferently. Out of the corner of his eye he could also see the silhouette of Theodule standing close by and he tried to ignore the pit in his stomach "So I see Theodule is here again."

Eponine rolled her eyes, "We are not getting into that." She said with a warning tone

He held his hands up in defense, "I'm just stating an observation."

"I know but you tend to have an ugly side whenever Theodule comes up."

"I apologize for that…..I see you two aren't stuck to one another like usual." He said, the comment wasn't supposed to be sassy but he noticed a flash of anger in Eponine's eyes before she responded.

"No, Marius only wanted me to keep him company at Cosette's party because he didn't know anyone; he's been visiting almost a month so he is better acquainted with everyone now. We chatted for a bit when I arrived then I say you and mentioned that I was coming to say hi….he decided to go catch up with Feuilly and Jehan for a bit."

"Oh, he doesn't like me very much does he?"

"That's a fair assumption." She replied, "Then again you did completely tell him off twice."

He nodded, "Yea I wouldn't like me very much either."

She shrugged and leaned next to him against the wall, "So you excited for the New Year? It's only a few minutes away."

"I guess…. it's a chance to start things off fresh."

She smirked, "Maybe this can be the year you start yet another protest at school."

"Possibly…." He began as the wheels in his head started turning.

Her eyes widened, "Whoa Enjy I was kidding!"

"That maybe but you just sparked an idea in my head! Think about it Eponine this is my senior year, my last chance to do something great!"

"Haven't you already accomplished that?"

"Not in the terms I'm thinking about. The school still doesn't help underprivileged kids that much, yes it's a bit better but more could be done! Don't you think?"

"You are preaching to the choir here Enjy." She stated

"Right….sorry about that."

She shrugged it off, "Not your fault."

Suddenly a voice called in their direction, "ENJOLRAS!"

They both turned to see Combeferre running toward them, "You need to come quickly; Courfeyrac has gotten himself in a bit of a sticky situation."

Enjolras sighed deeply, "Why does this not surprise me?"

Combeferre grabbed his arm and the two of them ran off in Courfeyrac's direction. Enjolras turned and looked over his shoulder to give Eponine an apologetic glance and simply shrugged and waved goodbye. However for some reason she was mentally cursing at Courfeyrac.

Apparently Courfeyrac had gotten himself locked in a closet on courtesy of some girl he was flirting with and only Enjolras knew where the key was –Grantaire was nowhere to be found at that moment. They were finally able to get him out of the closet and once they did he went down on his knees and kissed the floor.

"Sweet freedom!" He cried

Combeferre rolled his eyes, "Dude you were only there for 15 minutes."

"15 minutes of prison! I'm free at last!"

Enjolras leaned over toward Combeferre, "You think he was deprived of oxygen in there?"

"Quite possible…."

Enjolras rolled his eyes and addressed Courfeyrac, "So care to explain why someone locked you in a closet?"

He shrugged, "I may or may not have been asking if anyone wanted to kiss me at midnight….thing is I flirted with two girls and mixed up their names."

Combeferre pitched the bridge of his nose, "Courfeyrac!"

"What can I say? I'm an idiot." He said very off handedly

Enjolras rolled his eyes, "We knew that much."

"Hey!" Courfeyrac shouted before he suddenly switched moods and turned toward his two friends, "Does anyone know what time it is?"

Enjolras checked his watch, "11:30"

He nodded, "So we only have 30 minutes left of the New Year… 30 minutes to find a girl to kiss at midnight."

"You are still on that!? I did you not just learn your lesson!?"

"Yes, I will avoid mixing up names but I'm still kissing someone at midnight."

"Typical…." Enjolras muttered under his breath.

"Oh like you don't want to kiss anyone when the clock strikes 12"

"Well actually…"

"Oh whatever, I have something more important on my mind right now, like finding a pretty girl to kiss." stated Courfeyrac, cutting Enjolras off, "But don't worry I'll keep away from Eponine." He said with a smirk

Enjolras stared at him wide-eyes as he ran off to the crowd again; for once Enjolras was at a loss for words. His cheeks turned slightly pink and his mouth was gaped open like a fish Combeferre snickered behind him and looked at him playfully.

He gave him a murderous glare, "Not one word Combeferre not one word!"

* * *

Time went on until there were only a few minutes left until midnight. Marius looked over at the blonde girl at his side that he was holding hands with, he had just met her that year but it seemed that his world didn't start until he met her. She squeezed his hand tighter and she smiled up at him, happy to have found such a perfect man for herself. She had just come to school that year but everything had gone perfectly. She lived in a beautiful house, went to a great school and now had an amazing boyfriend due to her new best friend and she couldn't ask for anything more.

* * *

Eponine watched the happy couple from her spot against the wall. Actually she watched everyone, she lurked in the shadows and no one took note of her. She saw Theodule glance at her and smile, she saw her friends trying to flirt with girls and she watched as people held hands and anticipated for midnight, she for some reason she felt a little upset. She realized it was because she wished for what everyone else was experiencing, romance. Yes she did have her friends who she loved and cared about but she couldn't lie to herself and say she didn't want someone's hand to hold and shoulder to lean on, or someone's lips to meet her own. It was a silly teenage girl notion but she yearned for it nonetheless. Instead here she was waiting for the New Year while everyone else was caught up within themselves. It had been an interesting year, she had gained a job, new friends and stronger friendships but at the same time she lost Marius and that left a small hole in her.

_One more year all on my own, _she thought,_ one more year with no one caring. There's a life I wish to know. But no one sees me there….._

"You alright?" asked a tenor voice, breaking her out of her thoughts.

Eponine looked over to see Enjolras standing next to her with a Sprite can in his hand. She took it graciously and sipped it before answering, "Ya, just reminiscing about the year."

"Less than a minute left."

"I know…it's been a crazy year hasn't it?"

He nodded and smiled slightly, "It has been but at the same time I've enjoyed it."

"Me too…" She said timidly as she bit down on her lip.

"TEN SECONDS EVERYBODY!" Shouted Grantaire from his spot on top of a large table with Azelma standing close by

Eponine and Enjolras turned toward the large TV where a countdown was being projected. They both smiled in anticipation and excitement filled them both.

Shouted Grantaire, "EIGHT!"

"SEVEN!" The crowd replied

"SIX!"

"FIVE!"

"FOUR!"

"THREE!"

"TWO!"

"ONE!"

At that exactly moment Enjolras turned toward Eponine and she smiled brightly, as if knowing his intentions. However what neither noticed was someone lurking nearby and before Enjolras had a time to act that someone grabbed Eponine's wrist and pulled her in. She spun in and found herself being the New Year's kiss of someone else; that someone else was Theodule.

The kiss wasn't long but it was longer than it needed to be and when they pulled apart Eponine looked up at Theodule with wide eyes. Her cheeks deeply darkened in color and shock was written on her face, Theodule responded by giving her a seductive smile and wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her closer.

Enjolras felt a big rage fill his core along with a pain in his chest. Not being able to take it he proceeded to walk away, never even looking back at a sad-looking Eponine watching him stride out.

Grantaire shouted from his spot before kissing Azelma though for once Eponine didn't react to them. "HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!"

Somehow not everyone was happy...


	32. Chapter 32

Enjolras sat in the sun-lit room, hands crossed over his chest and a straight line on his face from his mouth, awaiting the arrival of everyone else. In the recent days he had been a little more serious than usual; he was not upset or angry just stoic. No one really noticed his increase in seriousness and those who did paid no attention, blaming it on exams and having to come back to school after the long winter break.

It had all started right around the New Year, after Theodule had kissed Eponine he had left the sight and made for the window in the corner of the front of the living room; he had stood there for a while just looked out at the sky when he heard footsteps approaching him, when he turned he saw none other than Eponine standing there.

"Hey are you ok?"

He shrugged apathetically, "Yes why wouldn't I be?"

She had a look of shock on her face, "I-I don't know I just thought that maybe…"

"No," He interrupted, "I'm perfectly fine. Though I don't think you should keep Theodule waiting, I think if you keep talking to me for much longer he will get the wrong idea."

She looked up at him with question in her eye, "What's the right idea?"

He shrugged again, "That we are friends; he may think we are something more."

Her shoulders slumped slightly, "Right…..you're completely right."

She began to turn away when Enjolras blurted something else out, "Though I would be careful if I were you."

She narrowed her eyes, "Why is that?"

"I would just be careful, he is a college student; how interested could he really be? Just don't get your hopes up."

Eponine's hands turned into tight fist but she kept her back turned to him "Don't worry I already learned that lesson."

Enjolras had watched her walk back to Theodule who in turn wrapped an arm around her shoulder and smiled down at her. They talked for a bit and he could see Eponine giggle and smile up at him too. The whole exchange struck a nerve within him but he chose to ignore it, he was Aiden Enjolras, he didn't get feelings for girls and he most certainly was not about to let one affect him.

That didn't stop him for becoming more serious than usual, it had only gotten worse when Eponine had texted him three days after the party to ask for his advice. Apparently Theodule had asked her out and she wanted Enjolras' input on her decision of yes or no. Enjolras had texted back telling her saying he didn't really think his input should matter but to say yes and but not expect anything from it as doing so could result in her getting hurt, Eponine replied back and said thanks for the input and that she could take care of herself; they haven't really talked since then.

Now it winter break was over which meant going back to school and the beginning of a new semester which brought one thing along as well, new schedules. That is how Enjolras found himself waiting anxiously for the bell to ring in AP Government as students piled in. He saw the familiar faces of Combeferre, Grantaire, Joly and Marius walked through the door and he was a bit relieved that he wasn't going to have to sit through the class alone. The four boys spotted him and moved to sit next to him, once they moved from the doorway Enjolras saw another familiar face, Eponine's. While AP Government was for both juniors and seniors he was still surprise to see Eponine, he never thought she would be one to take the class. She looked around the room with nervous eyes until they finally landed on the group of boys she recognized. Without hesitation she smiled and walked over to join them, taking a seat next to Marius and behind Enjolras.

"Hey 'Ponine!" Greeted Marius, causing her to smile, "I didn't know you were taking AP Gov"

"Yea," added Combeferre, "I didn't think you even had an interest in politics."

She shrugged, "I guess you all influenced me. I'm just glad we all got put in the same class."

Grantaire laughed, "Yeah can you imagine having to go through this class alone!"

She nodded, "Tell me about it! And we also have Enjy to mooch off of."

At that Enjolras turned around and raised an eyebrow at her, "And who said I was going to get you mooch off of me?"

"Who said you had a choice?"

"I assumed I did."

"Well you know that they say about assume…"

"What would that be?"

Grantaire chuckled and answered, "It makes an ass out of me and you."

Enjolras rolled his eyes, "Very funny."

Just then the teacher stood at the front of the room and began his lesson. Seeing was it was the first day back it was a pretty slow lesson and mainly consisted of reading over a syllabus and looking ahead to what the class would entitle, one of which was a project on the history of Governments throughout the world where everyone would be paired up and take a country and time frame. However they didn't really get much more into anything and the last 15 minutes of class consisted of free time for the students to just talk and catch up.

"Sounds like it's going to be a fun semester" Stated Joly as soon as they were able to talk.

"Definitely!" agreed Eponine, "To be honest I am looking forward to the project!"

Grantaire raised an eyebrow at her, "Really?"

"Yep, it sounds like fun! Think about it we get to research about past governments and present it to the class."

Marius looked at her oddly, "I can't tell if you are being sarcastic or dead serious."

"I'll let you figure that one out on your own."

"You just love to tease don't you?"

"You know me so well." She beamed

Silence followed as no one knew what else to talk about and Enjolras took that opportunity to speak, "So are you guys going to the Student Government meeting tomorrow morning?"

Combeferre smiled at him, "Do we have a choice?"

Enjolras shook his head, "Not really."

* * *

The Café was crowded with people as the Student Government meetings commenced and took place all through the place. Energy was high as people from all different committees met and discussed their plans and organized themselves. Enjolras and the rest of the boys all sat in the large table in the center of the café discussing various things such as upcoming elections and new standards for the school when a dark haired girl came and took a seat by Grantaire and Marius.

Grantaire took one look at her and muttered "Rough morning."

Eponine nodded her head, "Yeah tell me about it."

Enjolras raised an eyebrow at her, "Aren't you helping with the spring dance?"

"Yep…"

"How hard can that be?"

She rolled her eyes and leaned back on her seat before answering, "Not very but just about everyone in the dance committee is too preoccupied with what to wear to the dance to care about actually planning the dance! Meaning I'm stuck doing most of it single handily, it's exhausting."

Enjolras rolled his eyes and shook his head, "I swear some people just really annoy me."

Combeferre laughed, "I hope you realize that most of the girls joined Student Gov because you were president."

"Yeah," added Joly, "I think some thought that if they tried hard enough they could break the marble."

Courfeyrac laughed, "Can't blame them for trying."

Grantaire smirked and leaned over to whisper into Courfeyrac's ear, "Too bad someone already beat them to it."

Meanwhile Eponine and Enjolras were having an open debate about how hard it was to plan a school dance.

"I'm not saying it's not important, I'm just saying it can't be all that hard." He argued

"To be honest I could care less about the dance but that does take away the fact that a lot of work goes into planning it and making it happen."

"Oh sure how hard can it be to choose what balloons to use."

"There's more to it than that, there is budgeting, music and DJ, food, lighting, decorations, theme, advertising, ect."

"You just can't make decisions on the fly. How hard is it to choose a theme?"

She glared at him, "Oh well if you think it's so easy then why don't you help out with it!?" She challenged, and something about her body language told him that she was serious.

Enjolras turned to the rest of the boys; they all nodded to say they were on his side and for him to accept the challenge.

"Alright fine we will!"

"Great!" She cheered, hopping a bit with a smile on her face, her mood completely flipping.

He looked at her with wide eyes, "Did you just trick us into helping you plan the dance?"

She smirked, "I'm good aren't I?"

Grantaire let out a hearty laugh, "No you are brilliant."

"I try." She teased lightheartedly, "Now if you all don't mind the dance is in a few weeks and there is a lot we have to do."

Enjolras grinned at her, "We are under your command 'Ponine."

She smiled broadly, "I like the sound of that."

The next half hour was going swimmingly. While most of the girls from the committee were preoccupied with gossip and whatnot Eponine and the boys were hard at work planning the dance. They got through the basis stuff such as date, March 5th, theme, Masquerade, and the DJ. When themes were coming up everyone was a bit hesitant on the Masquerade them but Eponine convinced them otherwise.

"Think about it you guys! Masquerade, paper faces on parade and every face a different shade. Let the spectacle astound you! Hey that's a good slogan for advertising!" She beamed

Enjolras chuckled, "You have been spending a little too much time with Jehan haven't you?"

She shrugged, "Possibly, but that doesn't take away the fact that it's a good theme!"

Feuilly and Courfeyrac nodded, "She has a point. It's a good idea."

Eponine grinned at her stoic friend in a manner that said she was right and he was wrong, causing him to shake his head and roll his eyes at her, she in turn reacted by sticking her tongue out at him. The whole exchanged seemed very childlike but it suited them both. Enjolras eventually gave in and the theme was set in stone. The next thing on the agenda was decorations to which everyone took out their phones and began searching for possible ideas on googled. They laughed at some and just plain looked up other for the heck of it- no one really caring that they weren't getting much done. Things were going well until Eponine's phone dinged indicating that she received a text. Normally Enjolras wouldn't have paid attention but this time he felt the prick of a needle as he realized it was from Theodule. A smile spread across Eponine's face as she read the text and started typing back.

"Oooh someone is happy." Commented Grantaire after noticing her expression

She gave him a toothy smile, "I guess you could say that."

"Is your boyfriend texting you?" he asked with a teasing tone

Marius chose that moment to listen in on their conversation, "Wait who is 'Eponine's boyfriend?"

"Theodule" Enjolras answered simply, causing Marius eyes to widen to the size of saucers.

"Th-Theodule? As in my cousin Theodule?"

Grantaire let out a loud laugh, "The very same!"

Eponine looked very apprehensive, "Well, I don't know if I would call him my boyfriend."

"What else would you call him?"

She shrugged nervously, "I don't really know. I mean we kissed on New Years and then a few days later he took me out on a date and we have been texting a lot but we just aren't official and I don't want to scare him off. Besides he is in college so I'll barley get to see him as it is."

Grantaire scoffed, "Well if you ask me he is a dick for not making things clear."

Eponine stood up and put her hands on her hips, "He is not a dick! He is actually very sweet and nice. He charismatic and a listener and he has a great sense of humor."

Enjolras found himself stiffening with every word Eponine said.

She continued on, "Plus he is also artistic, he is a great artist. I mean he drew this sketch of me and it was so life-like!"

Grantaire couldn't help but tease her, "So I am guessing artistic sides are a turn on for you."

"What can I say I like men who are in touch with their emotions and creative side?"

At that point something in Enjolras snapped and he stood up abruptly. "It's almost time for school; we better pack up and head out."

Everyone was a little shocked at his abruptness but no one questioned it.

* * *

Lunch was a usual encounter for Eponine. She had decided to go to the auditorium and talk to Eric if he was there- part of her wanted his advice too. Luckily he was; he was seated in the alcove, or box 5 as everyone else called it.

"Hey Eric" She greeted as she took a seat by the piano.

"Hey." He replied, "How was winter break?"

"It was good, you?"

"It was fine, had to spend extra time with my family but other than that it was ok."

She pouted, "You don't like your family?"

"I'm not very close with them. I hardly see my parents and I don't get along well with my brother. Plus I had to see some cousins and other distance relatives and I am not really a people person." He said very apathetically, keeping his stare at the ceiling and barley even glancing down at her.

"Really? I hadn't noticed?" she said sarcastically.

"Yeah," He said simply as he moved positions, "I tend to spend most my time locked in my room writing music and painting; I like it better than socializing."

"I know the feeling."

"Anything fun happen to you?"

She bit her lip, "Well I think I may have gotten a boyfriend but I am not sure."

She had his full attention now. "Please don't leave it there."

Eponine chuckled nervously before telling him the whole story. She started with getting the time she was left a piece of cake at the café- Theodule had eventually admitted to her it was him who left her the cake to which she became even more enamored with him- and continuing on to Cosette's birthday party, the basketball game, New Years and their date. She even mentioned Enjolras and his warning in her explanation, though she kept his name out of it. When she finished she looked up at Eric and he had a look on his face that said he was contemplating and taking in everything she had just said.

"Well," He said grimly, "I don't want to tell you how to live but I must say I agree with your friend. This Theodule seems very shady to me, I'd be careful with your feeling if I were you. Don't want a repeat of last time do you?"

"No not at all…." She replied solemnly.

* * *

_A few weeks later_…

It was Valentine's Day and like usual Eponine found herself sitting alone in her room on her laptop. Her parents were out celebrating in some way or another- frankly she didn't want to know- Azelma was off on a date and although she wouldn't say with who Eponine knew it was Grantaire and all her other friends plus Gavroche were off doing something or other that night. Unfortunately for her Valentine's Day fell on a Thursday and Theodule was two hours away at college, meaning that once again she was on her own. Being it was a special holiday her teachers decided to be lenient and assign no homework that night or the next; she tried to make the best of her boring situation it by doing what she normally did, spend her free time writing and watching YouTube videos. However she could only spend so much time staring at a screen before her eyes began to hurt and she couldn't take it anymore. She laid back on her bed and looked at the glow-in-the-dark star stickers on her ceiling for a bit before closing her eyes and trying to relax, of course it was at the moment when she was about to drift off that her phone dinged.

_Whoever that is I am going to kill you!_

It was Enjolras

**_Enjolras: _**_Hey what you up to?_

**_Eponine: _**_Notmuch, just hanging in my room_

**_Enjolras:_**_ It's Valentine's Day why aren't you out with Theo?_

**_Eponine:_**_ He is stuck at college so I am lonely. HBU you doing anything fun?_

**_Enjolras: _**_Nope I'm lonely 2_

**_Eponine:_**_ Wanna be lonely together?_

**_Enjolras:_**_ Sure. Meet you the café in 15?_

**_Eponine: _**_You got it_

In an instant Eponine hopped out of bed and threw on her black converse and brown jacket before sticking her phone in her pocket and grabbing her house key. She was just about to walk out the door when her phone dinged again.

**_Enjolras: _**_Scratch that I am not letting you walk to the café! I'll be over in 10 to pick you up._

Eponine laughed at his text but decided to comply, he was being nice and it didn't hurt to listen to him everyone once in awhile, he was saving her from a very boring Valentine's Day. When Enjolras pulled up in her driveway Eponine smiled and ran up to meet him, she didn't miss a beat when she slid into the passenger seat of his car and they drove off. She was quite familiar with his car and as soon as they were on the road she started flipping through radio stations until she landed on one she liked, she saw Enjolras stiffen slightly at her selection but that only made her turn up the volume even louder. They drove around aimlessly for awhile, neither really having any plans nor knowing what do to; most restaurants were full of people that night but they were both still hungry. In the end they ended up going through the drive-thru of Steak-N-Shake and they both ordered a burger and fries, and a shake, only Eponine got a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup shake while Enjolras ordered M &M. When they arrived at the window Eponine took out her wallet to pay and he tried to decline but Eponine argued that since she suggested the whole thing and he was paying for gas the least she could do was pay for their food. In the end Eponine won the argument and he reluctantly used her money. After they got their food they parked in the parking lot near Central Park and sat on the hood of his car to eat. Eponine had stuck on of her fries into her shake and used it as a make-shift spoon, causing Enjolras to flinch away in disgust; being who she was Eponine did not take that lightly and instead ended up flinging the fry at his face. He retaliated but doing the same thing and by the end they were both salty messes. When they finished eating the night was still young so Enjolras suggested a movie and Eponine happily agreed only when they checked the movies on their phones they saw that all the movies were either horror movies or silly chick-flicks. Eponine tried to make the best of the situation by suggesting that they watch one but make fun of it the whole time; that was an idea that Enjolras just couldn't say no to. They selected a movie and made their way into the lobby of the movie theater, things were good, they were both laughing, smiling and having a good time. They had just paid for the movie and some drinks and popcorn and where about to head down then Eponine noticed Enjolras stiffen a bit before taking her arm and pulling her in the opposite direction.

"Come on Eponine let's go over here."

She gave him a confused look, "Why the movie is this way."

"I know but I want to go over here real quick."

She pulled out of his grip, "Enjy you are really starting to worry me. I mean what is your-"

Her words were cut short by the sight she saw in front of her and the realization of why Enjolras was pulling off in a different direction. There in the lobby with his arm around a red-haired girl was none other than Theodule. Eponine didn't react at first; she simply stood there with her mouth gaping open and her eyes wide in shock.

Enjolras approached her cautiously and delicately placed a hand on her shoulder, "Eponine?" She flinched away out of instinct but otherwise stayed frozen. Enjolras attempted again to talk to her; although this time he kept away from her personal bubble. "Ep are you ok? Come on let's get out here."

Eponine finally came to her senses and reacted, "No," she hissed, venom laced in her voice, "There is something I need to go first."

Without warning Eponine glued her fist to her sides and strode over to where Theodule was standing with the girl- Enjolras followed but kept a safe distance. As she neared them she saw that they were at a claw machine and he was trying to win his date a teddy bear. Eponine mustered up all her courage and tapped Theodule on the shoulder. He let out an annoyed sigh and grudgingly turned to face the interruption, though the second his eyes landed on Eponine he gulped.

"Hey Theodule, fancy running into you here" She said in an overly sweet voice that would scare most people, "Especially since you said you were stuck at the university till Saturday."

The girls with him scrunched her nose and looked over Eponine, "Theo who is this?"

He sighed deeply before addressing her, "No one Jessica, just an old friend. Why don't you go select some candy while we catch up?" He handed her $10 and she skipped away before Theodule turned his attention back to the fiery brunette who looked about ready to kill him.

"Care to explain." She said in a deathly voice "Not only are you off with another girl but you lied to me!"

He rolled his eyes, "Please 'Ponine we never said we were exclusive. Did you really think we were?"

She looked taken back, "Well I-"

He laughed, "Oh Pony how misguided you are. I'm in college it's my time to live free, I can't be held down by anyone, especially a clingy girl. You may be cute but frankly I am not a one woman type of guy. Even if I was you aren't really the kind I would go for. Sure you have a pretty face but we come from two different places; Marius talked about you all the time, how you're a little poorer than everyone else and all that other nonsense, I honestly thought going out with someone like me would help your self-esteem and my image. You're good for some fun but not as an all time girl."

Eponine stood there holding her ground as she listened to every word thrown at her. She was silent but she stared him down and willed her body to stop shaking and he kept stabbing her over and over again.

She finally spoke through clenched teeth, "You are an asshole and I hope one day all your shit catches up with you and you get bitch slapped."

He scoffed, "Such dirty language Pony."

That did it, "Don't. Call. Me. Pony!"

Without warning Eponine took the cup containing Sprite in her hand and flung its contents onto Theodule, drenching his face and shirt in soda. She took one more moment to look over her handy work before pivoting on her heel and running out of the theater, if there was one thing she didn't was to do or let anyone see it was her tears. Eponine sprinted out of the lobby and the building and the parking lot until she came to a large rock under a tree and slumped down, bringing one knee to her chest and resting her forehead on it. After a few moments in silence she heard footsteps approaching but she didn't even have to look up to know whose they were.

"You were to tell me 'I told you so'?" she asked solemnly

Enjolras looked at her sadly and shook his head, "No, I'm here to make sure you are ok."

She took a deep breath and raised her head so she could see him, "Yea I'm fine. I guess I should be used to this kind of thing by now huh?"

Enjolras sighed and took a seat next to her, "No one should. You don't deserve this crap 'Ponine."

"But I get it either way. Karma's a bitch huh?"

He chuckled, "Well if that's the case Theodule only got a quarter of what is coming to him."

She gave him a sad smile and leaned her head on his shoulder. Enjolras didn't move at first but given a moment he wrapped his arm around her and held her tightly.

"How could I have been so stupid? Guys like Theodule don't go for girls like me."

"Guys like Theodule don't deserve guys like you."

"Thanks for saying that."

"I mean it; you don't deserve asses like him."

"It seems I can't attract anything but." She replied sadly. "At least I have the stars. They never leave me."

"And neither will I." He said reassuringly before he placed a kiss on the top of her head. He held her for a while longer while they looked up at the star-filled sky, both very content with where they were before Enjolras stood up and offered Eponine his arm. "Are you still up for making fun of a chick-flick mademoiselle?"

She smiled at him and took his arm graciously, "Monsieur I would like nothing better."

* * *

**Am I forgiven now?**


	33. Chapter 33

**Hey everyone. So at musical strike earlier this week i had to help this cute boy take out a large piece of wood that was shaped like a flag and along the way he started singing "Do you hear the people sing?" Things were great until people started staring at us...he blamed it on me and when i said he was the one who started it he said "well you kept going"...Oh well gotta count blessing as you get them**

**Please review and enjoy :D**

* * *

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Shrieked a high pitched voice

Everyone had been sitting around the large center room in the café, laughing and generally enjoying their Saturday afternoon when the door bursted open to reveal a petite blonde girl. Eponine had barley taken a sip of her frozen lemonade when Cosette came flying into the room with a wild and confused look in her eye- the sight was so shocking Eponine had practically chocked on her drink and everyone one else jolted in shock.

Eponine turned her head to acknowledge her friend and gave her an indifferent look. "Tell you what exactly?"

"About what happened with Theodule?!"

Her face dropped slightly, "Oh that-"

Cosette kept on talking, effectively cutting Eponine off, "You know I had to find out from Musichetta! MUSICHETTA! And here I thought we were best friends!"

"Cosette of course we are. I-"

"Then why didn't you tell me?!"

"I-I haven't told anyone….come to think of it how did Chetta know?"

Cosette shrugged, "She heard from her friend who was the theaters on Valentine's Day. Apparently she saw the whole thing."

All the Amis leaned in closely; they had all been listening up to that point.

"Whoa whoa, wait! What exactly happened?"

Eponine flinched, _This is exactly what I wanted to avoid….._

"Nothing happened you guys," she began, "I just had a slight falling out with Theodule."

Cosette jumped up and exclaimed, "Slight?! You threw your drink at him!?"

Eponine rolled her eyes and clenched her teeth together, "Oh crap…."

Marius took a hold of her shoulders and jerked her toward him, "You did what?"

"I may or may not have thrown the contents of a cup of Sprite at your cousin…" Eponine winced and took a deep breath before continuing, "I can explain! You see about two days ago, Valentine's Day if you want to be really accurate, Theodule told he was stuck out of town in college; so imagine my surprise when I run into him at a movie theater with his arm around another girl."

"Ouch…" muttered Courfeyrac while the others grimaced and looked at her with sympathetic faces.

"Oh it gets better, you see I confronted him about it and he in turn told me that a) he wasn't a one girl type of man and b) even if he was we were from two different worlds and it wouldn't work out. He said the only reason he went out with me, beside my pretty face, was because he thought it would help my self-esteem and his ego…."

Cosette looked at her with a trembling lip, "Oh Eppie…."

The guys all looked around one another sharing a knowing glance with one another. They all knew where were two things Eponine hated, pity and being used; both of which had been done to her thanks to Theodule.

Grantaire spoke up, "If throwing your drink at him was all you did then you let him off easy."

Eponine chuckled, "Well actually I cussed him out first. I think I was pretty level-headed through the whole situation. It wasn't until he called me 'Pony' that I snapped and threw my soda at him…."

Grantaire looked at her with admiration before giving her a low whistle and slowly clapping his hands together. Eponine rolled her eyes and struck her tongue out at him playfully before turning her attention back to Cosette.

The blonde girl gave a small gasp before throwing her arms around her friend and hugging her tightly, "Oh Eponine I'm so sorry!"

Eponine jolted in shock and hesitantly patted Cosette's back "Don't be its ok."

"No it's not! Theodule is a total crap bag and to top it all off I wasn't even there to help you through it!"

_But someone else was_, Eponine thought happily, "There isn't really much you could have done. Besides I'm kind of relieved."

Cosette let her go while giving her a confused look and Joly anxiously shook in his seat.

"Well don't leave it there!"

Eponine chuckled slightly and shook her head at her anxious friends, "Forgive friends I would not dare. You see I'm kind of glad that me and Theodule have gone separate ways. Yeah he was hot and artistic but at the same time he was a bit too self-centered and egotistical for my taste."

Everyone around the room sat at the edge of their seat at looked at her with pleading eyes as if begging her to go on.

She did, "I mean on our first date I think we sent about 75% of the time talking about him and his interest. If things kept going the way they were I was gonna dump his ass."

Feuilly gave her a toothy grin, "Lucky for you now you got rid of him a lot earlier than planned."

Eponine gave a sad shrug, "Yea lucky me….."

Grantaire let out a hearty laugh and wrapped his arm across her shoulders, "Don't worry Tiger, you'll do better next time."

Eponine gritted her teeth together, "Thing about that is I don't know if there will be a next time…"

Everyone raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"Well in light of recent events and my emotions state of before, I'm thinking to give up."

Cosette widened her eyes, "Give up on what exactly?"

"Give up on men," Eponine answered simply as she swirled her straw around her lemonade, "men, dating, the whole thing really."

Marius looked at her as if she grew horns "'Ponine you can't be serious?!"

"Oh but I am! I'm honesty just done. It's not just Theodule but the whole concept in general. I've been through a lot of crap lately and I really don't want to have to go through anymore, it's just not worth it; besides there is no one out there right now anyway."

"Well isn't that interesting." Called a voice from the doorway

Everyone was so preoccupied and shocked by Eponine's comment that no one noticed the door opening during her confession, no one looked to see Enjolras standing there with a pile of notebooks and pencils in hand, and no one notice his mouth twitch a bit as he heard ever word Eponine just said.

Without wasting another moment Enjolras readjusted the things in his hands and made his way over to the large table where everyone was seated. He set his stuff down and took a seat in between Eponine and Grantaire.

"So what has brought on this grand epiphany?" He asked as he took his seat.

"Life," she answered simply with a nod of her head, "Life and all the shit that comes with it."

Enjolras rolled his eyes as he dug through his backpack, "Is the swearing really necessary?"

She replied with an eye roll of her own, "Yea pretty much." She stated before eyeing the papers he had set in front of him, "What you got there?"

"Just some plans for the dance, it's in three weeks you know."

"Yes I am aware." She scoffed

Without warning Eponine snatched the papers from right under Enjolras nose and held them close to her. Enjolras reacted almost immediately and leaned to try to take back his papers but Eponine was quicker and she instinctually leaped out of her seat and right out of his reach.

"Eponine give them back!" He called

She ignored him and looked at the stack of papers in her hands, her eyes widening as he read over them. Enjolras attempted again to reach for his papers but Eponine foresaw his attempt and using her cat-like reflexes she slyly hoped out of his way and onto a nearby chair and then onto the table top to avoid him.

_Damn it why is she so nimble!?_ He thought as she kept evading his grip

"Enjolras what exactly is this?"

"I told you they are plans for the dance."

"I know that! Just what exactly are you trying to draw here?" she asked as she turned the paper in her hand so that it faced him

"Those are my sketches for the floor plan and the poster design…."

She raised an eyebrow at him and pointed to odd arrangement of circles and lines on the paper with her finger. "Are these supposed to be stick figures?"

He gulped, "I never said I was a good artist…."

"Well obviously," she snorted, "these don't even look like stick figures! And here I thought you were good at everything."

"Well I-"

Eponine cut him off effectively, "Hey guys come hither! I found the flaw in our marble man!" She proclaimed playfully from her spot upon the table top.

All the boys automatically fled over toward her and looked in awe as she passed around the papers containing Enjolras failed attempt at art. Some laughed and others looked in bewilderment between Enjolras and his sketches as if not believing he was capable of something that messy and poor.

Combeferre smirked at him, "You're really not skilled with a paintbrush are you?"

Enjolras narrowed his eyes at him, "I used a pencil not a brush."

"It's just an expression mon ami."

Eponine giggled as she moved to sit on the table, her long legs dangling off the side, "Don't fret Enjy, no one is perfect. Not even you."Enjolras opened his mouth to protest but Eponine kept going, "It's actually kind of reassuring to know even you have flaws. Makes me feel better about myself"

Enjolras snapped his mouth shut but continued to glare at her

"Oh you know we kid Enjolras," Grantaire teased as he slapped a hand on Enjolras' back, "But in all honesty, leave the drawing to Feuilly next time."

* * *

Enjolras was walking down the hall to his locker. It was the end of the school day but the beginning of a long weekend for him. The date for the dance had approached them quicker than he thought possible and before he knew it the Masquerade ball was right around the corner; had it not been that he was on the committee the date would have flown right over his nose. Now he had to stay after school for a quick emergency meeting for the dance and then he had to run to a speech meeting and an audition for senior speaker at graduation. Apparently they were all coming in the next day, even though there was no school for them, to decorate the building for the ball that was to be occurring that night. He was not really looking forward to spending all day setting things up and decorating but he knew he had to do it either way.

On his way down he couldn't help but thing of the weird conversation he had at lunch earlier that day. Eponine had not come yet again, where she went no one knew, but she did come up in conversation.

"I can't believe Eponine said she is giving up on dating." Courfeyrac thought out loud as he played with his French fry

"She is probably just having a hissy fit." Stated Combeferre without looking up from the book he was reading, "She will come around eventually."

"Nah, I don't think so." Commented Joly, "She seemed pretty serious to me"

"I think she might come around depending on who gets to her," Grantaire said as he looked at Enjolras from the corner of his eye and smirked, "Care to make this interesting?"

Courfeyrac raised an eyebrow at him, "How so?"

"How about we try to see which one of us can get Eponine to give-up on giving up on dating?"

"Sounds interesting…what are the stakes."

"First one to get Eponine to go out on a legit date with him wins. Loser has to pay for the winner's drinks at the café for a month" Answered Grantaire, "However my affections are for the other Thenardier girl so I am out. Who's in?"

Courfeyrac smiled, "I'm in!"

Enjolras didn't say long enough to hear who else was in, instead he left the table and headed for the library- he didn't want to be a part of their game. It wasn't brought up again and Enjolras didn't ask for it, everyone could tell it was a something he didn't wasn't to discuss.

He continued walking down the corridor while digging through his backpack for his keys when a sight in front of him made him stop short. He spotted Joly about 100 feet away talking amiably away with none other than Eponine. She was leaning against the locker adjacent to his casually with a big smile plastered on her face- Joly seemed to be asking her many questions as she continuously nodded her head and smiled at him. Enjolras couldn't help but feel the blood run to his face and his teeth clench as he watched the two of them interact and noticed how Joly looked like a giddy schoolboy and how Eponine kept touching his elbow.

_Are you kidding me right now? Didn't she just give up on men after all that has happened to her and when the hell did Joly start having a thing for Eponine?!_

Enjolras kept looking on as his blood pressure rose steadily and reached its peak when he saw Joly throw his arms around Eponine and hug her in an impulse before quickly running off in another direction. Enjolras slammed his locker shut and was about to turn away when he noticed Eponine look after Joly with a smirk on her face and a mischievous glint in her eye. The whole thing seemed odd in his opinion but he decided to simply brush it off and not let it get to him, whatever Eponine did was her choice. He was once again about to turn away on his heel when yet another odd situation caught his eye.

XXXX

Eponine laughed to herself as she watched Joly run off down the hall. He had the step of a giddy school boy and it just warmed her heart to see him so happy, from the first time he set on eyes on her Eponine knew Joly had developed a crush on Musichetta, so when he came to ask her for help impressing her Eponine was only slightly shocked. Apparently every since she helped set up Cosette and Marius together she had taken the honorable title of 'group matchmaker'- it wasn't exactly what she wanted to be labeled as but she knew they weren't wrong in giving her that title, she earned it. Joly had flagged her down and said that in his defense he tried to talk to Musichetta on his own and ask her to the dance, but he ended up choking and the most he got was her laughing at him a bit and calling him cute. Joly felt as if he completely failed and came running to Eponine for help. When he came up to her after school he looked completely in disarray- his hair was wild and his eyes looked desperate. Eponine agreed to help him nonetheless, he was so happy he hugged her tightly before running off to go to the meeting they were all having soon.

_My love life may be absolute crap but not everyone else's has to be._

Once Joly was out of sight Eponine shifted positions on her toes and was about to head for her locker when her path was blocked by something or more specifically someone.

"Why hello there 'Ponine" Sneered a dark voice

"'Parnasse" Eponine acknowledge, looking at him straight in the eye as she did so

He gave her a wicked grin, "Why are you so cold darling, aren't you happy to see me?"

"Not particularly."

"Oh feisty aren't ya?"

She rolled her eyes and gave him a death glare, "What do you want 'Parnasse? I'm in a hurry and I am not in the mood for this."

He huffed, "It pains me that you don't have time for a friend 'Ponine."

"You aren't my friend."

"Shame…." He sighed, "But none the matter."

"I am going to say this one more time so listen closely, 'what the hell do you want'!?"

He acted as if he didn't hear her, "The dance is tomorrow."

"Yes I'm aware."

"I was just stopping by to ask what time I should pick you up."

She raised an eyebrow at him, "For what?"

"For the dance, you have the honor of being my date." He stated as she wrapped his arm around her shoulders

Eponine's mouth dropped and she flinched back from him and flung his arm off, "Excuse me?! I don't think so!"

"Why are you so against it darling? Do you have a better offer?"

"Well I-I…."

"I'm sorry Alain but Eponine won't be able to accompany you to the dance." Called a voice behind them; Eponine turned her head to look back and let out a sigh of relief as she realized it was Enjolras, "She already has a date."

Eponine looked at him in shock, "I do…"

Montparnasse didn't believe him, "She does?"

Enjolras nodded, "She is going with me."

Again Eponine was shocked, "I am?"

"She is?"

"I AM!" Eponine yelped as realization struck her. She slipped her arm into Enjolras and looked at Montparnasse in defiance, "Sorry Monty but Enjolras here is taking me."

Montparnasse looked over the two of them as if he wasn't buying it, but after staring down Enjolras he didn't question it any further, instead he let out a gruff and walked away, leaving Enjolras and Eponine alone in the hallway. Once he was out of sight Eponine unraveled her arm from Enjolras' and let out another sigh of relief. She turned to talk to him but once she faced him she found she just couldn't look at him straight in the eye, she decided to look at the floor instead.

"T-thank you for that" She managed to mutter coherently

He shrugged it off, "No problem."

"You don't have to do it you know."

"Pardon me? Do what?"

She looked up at him, "You know, take me to the dance. I know you said that to get Montparnasse out of my hair so I don't expect you to actually be my date. To be honest I wasn't even planning on going."

Enjolras felt his stomach drop slightly but he ignored the feeling, "You're kidding right? You basically planned the whole dance single handily, you have to go!"

She scrunched her nose, "But dances aren't really my thing."

"Hey we will all be there to accompany you; it will be just like a day at the café."

"Only instead we will all be dressed up and crammed into the school gym and courtyard."

"Doesn't that sound amazing?"

Eponine giggled, "Got to say you make a convincing argument, and seeing as Musichetta and Cosette will not possibly let me stay home I guess I'll be going to the dance."

Enjolras smiled, it was the kind of smile only Eponine ever saw, "Glad to hear it, now let's go and plan for this dance."

* * *

Grantaire moaned as he sat in the passenger seat of Enjolras' car. It was 11 am on Friday –still pretty early for Grantaire- and there was no school, but they had to come in early to help decorate for the dance. Enjolras had swung by to pick him up and they were now sitting at the drive-thru of a McDonalds. Since the two of them were already running late thanks to Grantaire everyone had texted them asking if they could make a coffee run- or in some cases tea and smoothies. They had already gone to Starbucks and Dunkin Doughnuts but Enjolras had insisted on stopping by McDonalds to get a frozen strawberry lemonade for Eponine.

"How do you even know she likes it? She didn't ask for anything." Grantaire asked as he played with the air conditioning knobs.

"Every time we go to McDonalds she gets it." Enjolras replied apathetically as he pulled up to the window, "And if we are getting something for everyone else it's only polite that we get something for her too."

"Oh yea…" Grantaire muttered under his breath, "You are doing this out of politeness."

"What was that?" Enjolras asked, a tone of death in his voice

Grantaire looked out the window, "I didn't say anything."

"That's what I thought."

After picking up the lemonade and all the other drinks they finally pulled into the West End High parking lot and made their way into the gym, the sight was chaotic. People were running around putting up streamers and doing other various things all in preparation for the dance. Enjolras knew a lot went into planning and making it happen but he never imagined it would be like a war zone. He only had a moment to contemplate before everyone spotted him and rushed over to claim their pick-me up. Enjolras and Grantaire did not know how to react and instead stretched out their hands and hoped people weren't desperate enough to hurt them. When everyone grabbed their order the two of them finally allowed themselves to react and let out a sigh of relief. They suddenly heard someone clapping slowly and from the corner of his eye Enjolras saw Eponine standing by them with a devilish look in her eyes

"You see this is you need to come on time." She teased

Enjolras did his best to contain a laugh when he took in the sight of her; she was wearing old jean overalls with a blue t-shirt underneath and her black converse, her hair was pulled back in a messy braid and she had paint splattered all over her clothes, she had been hard at work.

"Well we would have been had Grantaire not overslept and made us late."

"I am sorry!" called Grantaire looking appalled, "but I was up late playing a very important game of Call of Duty. I was on roll."

Eponine rolled her eyes, "Well I'm very happy for you but unless you get to work you will never have a chance to play it again."

"Fine then," Grantaire stated as she grabbed a paintbrush and commenced to help Jehan with whatever he was painting.

Enjolras looked back at Eponine and gave her the lemonade he purchased for her. Her eyes widened like a child on Christmas morning as she saw it and again Enjolras had to sustain a laugh. She took from his hands and gently took a sip as if to savor the moment.

"Enjolras you are the best." She said through the straw

He smirked at her, "I try."

After a few more sips Eponine set the drink down on the table nearby and walked back to a ladder to set up a banner that she left half-way done. Enjolras walked over to help Combeferre pin up some poster but as he passed by Eponine's ladder a bird flew in from the open window and decided to fly right into Eponine's face. Eponine didn't even have time to flinch as the bird hit her straight on and made her loose her balance on the ladder, the next thing she knew she was falling backwards and panic made her stomach drop. However instead of breaking her neck on the hard floor she felt herself surround by something soft and warm; she opened her eyes and found Enjolras cradling her.

Eponine's eyes widen as she realized their position and Enjolras' cheeks turned slightly red as well. Without another word he set her down on her feet and Eponine tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. They both looked at each other for a second before sharing a laugh and getting back to work, neither wanting to admit to the tension they just felt.

Neither noticed Grantaire and Azelma watching them from the distance either. They shared a knowing glance to one another. They knew something was going on between those two whether or not they wanted to admit it and so help them Grantaire and Azelma were going to do something about it.


	34. Chapter 34

The sun was out and hidden behind the trees that bordered Courfeyrac's house, leaving interesting patterns on the grass below it. Everyone took a spot somewhere on Courfeyrac's backyard, whether that be the patio set, the small brick wall or simply the cool grass- they had all finished their jobs for the dance the next night and they were ready for some relaxation.

Eponine was a little away from everyone under an oak tree- the sun bouncing off her raven hair and bronzing her noise- lying on her belly with her legs bent up and crossed at the ankles reading one of her favorite books.

The past few days had been very stressful and laborious and she was just happy for the moments of peace she got. Even when she wasn't working on the dance directly she still had other work to do indirectly, the hardest one being convincing Erik go actually attend the dance. Every time she brought it up he would scoff at her and change the subject or simply ignore her and continue playing the piano. After several attempts Eponine was finally able to get through to him and get him to at least listen to her.

"Come on Erik it will be fun!" she pleaded to him

He answered her indifferently, "I think you and I have different definitions of fun."

"Erik you're a senior and you have never been to a school dance, this is your last chance! If you don't go you may look back on your life one day and regret it."

Erik sighed and glanced over at her but found that he was unable to come up with an argument to counter hers. In response she raised an eyebrow at him and smirked.

"But Eponine danced and I don't mix. There will be hundreds of people there and I hate going to public places, people always stare at him and torture me for my face, I hate it!" His voice had started out as slow and shy but by the end he had gotten very worked up and hoped out of his seat.

Eponine gulped before continuing, "It's a masquerade…."

He looked at her with question in his eyes, "Come again?"

"It's a masquerade," She repeated calmly, "You could wear a mask and even other people will be dressed so oddly that you won't stick out."

"A masquerade huh….." he muttered to himself, "hide your face so the world will never find you…..It sounds interesting enough."

Eponine smiled up at him, "Let the spectacle astound you."

In the end she never got a solid answer from Erik, he only stated that he would consider it and Eponine didn't push him any further, she knew doing so would only cause her to ruin any process she made. Back in present day Eponine turned her attention back to the ink filled pages of her book when a shadow came and casted itself over her.

She narrowed her eyes and titled her head up to see where the shadow came from, however the sun was too bright so she put her hand over her brows to get a better view, "Excuse me but you are blocking my light!"

A small blonde figure gave her a toothy grin, "Sorry 'Ponine I just wanted to talk to ya."

She smiled at her little brother, "No harm done Gav, so how is my baby brother?"

"'Ponine I'm not a baby anymore! I'll be eleven soon!" He said as he puffed out his chest

Eponine giggled and reached up to ruffle his hair, "You're right I'm sorry. I tend to forget that you are growing up really fast. To me you will always be my baby brother." She cooed

Eponine ruffled his hair and pulled him in for a bear hug as she turned herself around to sit up. Gavroche tried to squirm out of her grasp but that only made Eponine hold on tighter. She pulled him unto her lap and pecked his forehead with some kisses, making Gavroche really squirm and jitter around. He put up so much of a fight he was actually able to wiggle out of Eponine's arms, once out he made a run for it. Eponine reacted immediately and chased her little brother across the large backyard- both of them were quick on their feet and fast-thinker thus making the chase much more interesting to watch as they rounded trees, hopped over bushes and climbed on chairs.

"It's moments like these that I can tell they are siblings." Commented Grantaire to Courfeyrac before turning his attention to Azelma, "Are you as quick on your feet as they are?"

She shook her head playfully, "Nope, Eponine was very adventurous as a kid and Gavroche got it from her. I was more of a stay-on-the-path type of kid."

Combeferre looked at them out of the corner of his eyes as he read his book, "You two really need to be more careful. If Eponine catches you then I have to doubts she will rip off your head R."

Grantaire swatted off his comment, "Eh she's used to it by now, besides she's got bigger fish to fry." He stated as he glanced over at his marble friend hunched over a notebook.

Combeferre turned his full attention back to his book and made no further comment, if Grantaire wanted to ignore his warning then that was his choice and he was not going to be responsible if his choice caused him to be decapitated.

Just then Courfeyrac and Joly entered the yard through and were met with the sounds of laugher as Eponine had finally caught Gavroche and was now tickling him mercilessly. Everyone turned their attention to the squealing boy and couldn't help but join in laughing.

"Someone help me!" He cried from his spot as Eponine gave him a nuggy

Courfeyrac made eye contact with the others boys and gave them a looked that told them he had a plan to rescue the little blonde boy. They all huddled together and Courfeyrac spilled his plan, the second he did he was met with devilish smiled and evil glints in everyone's eyes. They slowly broke apart and neared the site where Eponine was still tickling Gavroche.

Courfeyrac went a little in front of them and motioned them to pause for a moment. He waited a moment to make sure the coast was clear before he looked back at his companions, "CHARGE!"

All at once they ran for the two Thenardier kids and came to the rescue of little Gavroche by pulling Eponine off of him and having Courfeyrac carry her away. Eponine did not take it lightly and began kicking and attempting to squirm her way out of their grip but she was only let with Joly and Combeferre coming her way to help Courfeyrac restrain onto her as well. Instead of fighting harder Eponine let her body go limp; Courfeyrac was somewhat confused and grip on her changed, unfortunately for him that's just what Eponine wanted and before he had a chance to react Eponine effectively flipped him over and escaped. Courfeyrac gaped at her in bewilderment from his spot on the grass as she stuck her tongue out at him and ran away to safety.

He smirked and shook his fist at her, "You will pay for that Ep!"

"You'll have to catch me first!" She called as she continued running. Almost immediately the other boys were on her tail and Azelma cheered her on from her spot on the patio. The boys chased after her and the game got serious when Gavroche climbed onto a chair and yelled for the boys to avenge him. Eponine tried not to look back and see who was on her tail. She slipped between trees and over branches and even onto trees. She was effectively able to avoid Joly, Grantaire, Combeferre and Feuilly but when she rounded a corner she found herself face to face with Enjolras.

"So we meet again man of marble." She said as she stared him down

He glared at her playfully, "So we do Thenardier."

"Are you here to avenge Gavroche?"

"I am and unfortunately it seems that you are outmatched." He replied with a smile playing on his lips. In the distance they could see the other boys running to back him up. Eponine could have tried to make a run for it but she knew Enjolras was fast and all the running beforehand had taken up most of her energy, if she ran no doubt Enjolras would catch her in an instant. She needed to find a way to distract him.

"That may be," She began, trying to buy some time when something caught her eye, "but you made one mistake."

He raised an eyebrow at her, "And what mistake would that be?"

She smirked evilly, "Wearing baggy sweatpants."

Before Enjolras even had a time to process what he was saying Eponine swooped down and pantsed him. She ran off laughing and climbed a nearby tree so she could study her handy work safely. It was as if the whole things was planned perfectly, the second Eponine ran off the guys arrived and Enjolras didn't even have time to pull his pants back up and he was left standing there in his black t-shirt and red boxers with his pants hanging around his ankles. Grantaire spotted Enjolras first and let out a low whistle when his eyes settled on him.

"Thank goodness for boxers huh Enjy?" Eponine called at him from her spot on the tree branch.

Enjolras stood there with his mouth gapping and he automatically reached down for his pants that were hung around his ankles. He turned completely red and strode off but not before looking back at Eponine in the three. "This is low Eponine, even for you!" He stated fiercely, but a hint of humor and playfulness was detectable in his tone.

"It's a good look for you Enjy!" She teased as she watched him walk off.

She found herself looking out at him for much longer than he needed, or more particularly his behind. She didn't even notice Grantaire under the tree until he cleared his throat and catch her attention. She was suddenly brought out of her trance and looked down to see him and the rest of the guys looking up at her with raised eyebrows.

"What?" Eponine asked as she shrugged and looked over everyone, "He has a nice butt….."

After the chase died down and Eponine came down from the tree Eponine approached Enjolras when he was once again hunched over a book.

"Hey," She said timidly as she took a seat by him and swept her hair to one shoulder

"Hey," He repeated with a monotone voice without even glancing at her

"Are you made at for what happened back there?"

"I wouldn't say mad, just a little shocked. It's not every day you get pantsed."

"Nope, no it's not." She giggled, "Um….sorry about pantsing you; I was kind of desperate. But on the plus side this is the kind of thing you look back on and laugh about."

He smiled at her, "You are really lucky we are such good friends."

She returned the smile, "I wouldn't have done it if we weren't."

"You are really strange 'Ponine. Has anyone ever told you that?"

She shrugged, "I may have been told that once or twice…..whether or not I agree is between me and my mind."

He nodded at her, "Completely fair."

Eponine was about to answer him when her phone dinged and she dug threw her pocket to get it out. She sighed as she saw who the message was from and replied quickly before getting up from her seat. "I'd love to stay and chat but Cosette is here to take me out for a 'girl's night'."

"From the sounds of it you don't sound too happy about it."

She sighed, "Don't get me wrong I love Cosette but there are times when I'm reminded why I hang out with boys so much…..yesterday I may or may not have let it slipped that I didn't have a dress for tomorrow, don't look at me that way I swear I wasn't going to come to the dance in jeans!" Enjolras put his hands up in surrender and Eponine rolled her eyes before continuing, "Anyway after she found out she insisted kidnapping me for the rest of today so she and Musichetta can take me shopping for the perfect dress and then have a sleepover at Cosette's…..so yea forgive me if I'm not skipping with joy."

He patted her shoulder, "You will live 'Ponine. You may actually enjoy it."

* * *

Dress shopping with Azelma, Cosette, and Musichetta had gone better than she had expected- to say the three girls were shocked to know Eponine had no dress for the dance would have been an understatement, she was just so busy planning the dance that she forgot to prepare herself for it. When they first began shopping Eponine felt like she was dragging her feet through water the whole time and she hated it. She was dragged from store to store and forced to try on dress after dress, none of which seemed right and each one brought more and more irritation to her. 15 dresses and three stores later Eponine was just about to explode.

"That's it!" She yelled as she changed out of her latest dress- a yellow halter- and into her overalls. "I am done; there are no dresses out there for me!"

Cosette pouted and hit the changing room door, "Eppie calm down!"

"I am not calming down!" She shouted through the door, "I have been through a million different dresses and none of them look good at me! I can't take it anymore!"

"Oh come on Ep" pleaded Musichetta, "Can't you just try on just one more dress?"

"No I am done! I've already tried on 15!"

"Then what's the harm in one more?"

"Oh fine!" She yelped as her patience grew thin, "One dress and then we are out of here!"

Well fortunately for all of them Azelma came to their rescue, bringing with her a black one shoulder dress with multi-colored patterns. Not only had that dress been the last one Eponine tried on but it was also the dress that ended up coming home with her. Eponine breathed out a sigh of relief when she paid for the dress, but that was short lived at Cosette insisted on buying shoes and accessories to go with it. After they finished Cosette had insisted that they all spend the night at her place for some more bonding. That is how Eponine found herself lying on Cosette's large fluffy pink bed absentmindedly flipping through a magazine while her sister and two friends sat on the floor and talked non-stop about something or other, frankly Eponine wasn't really paying attention. However she was forced to listen when her attention was drawn to them after Azelma hit her over the head with a pillow.

"Ow!" She yelped, "What the hell was that for?" Azelma placed her hands on her hips and looked at Eponine straight on, "We asked you something silly."

She glared at them and rubbed the top of her head. "What exactly did you ask?"

Cosette giggled and Musichetta leaned back on her legs, "Well considering you weren't listening to your conversation let me give you a quick recap. Cosette was talking about how you had a large part in getting her and Marius together and for the past two days you have been helping Joly impress me and Azelma even said that if it wasn't for you she would never have met Grantaire-"

"So where exactly is the question in that?" Eponine asked, unintentionally interrupting Chetta

"I was getting to that!" She snapped making Eponine flinch and put her hand up in surrender, "The question was, with everything you have done for us and our love lives….do you have one?"

She cocked an eyebrow at her, "I'm not sure I understand the question."

"Eppie," began Cosette, "do you have a love life?"

"Or in other words," added Azelma, "is there something going on between you and Enjolras?"

Eponine rolled her eyes and fell back on the bed, "Is that what is this all about? You want to know about me and Enjolras?" The three girls looked at her with smiles on their faces and nodded their heads anxiously. "Well to be honest there isn't really anything going on between us…..he's not into me."

Cosette automatically shook her head, "I think you are wrong Eponine! I've seen the way you two interact, there is defiantly something there!"

"No," protested Eponine, "we are just really close. He's a great friend and I love him for it."

Azelma's eyes widened at Eponine's words, "But why?"

"Why what?"

"What don't you date him? What's wrong with him?"

Eponine shot up from her spot on the bed, "There is nothing wrong with him! He is really nice and smart and considerate, and while you may not agree with me he has a great sense of humor and is really easy to talk to."

"Don't forget hot." Added Azelma

"Azelma Thenardier!" Exclaimed Musichetta, "You missy are a taken women! What would Grantaire say if he heard you?!"

Azelma shrugged, "The fact that I like Grantaire doesn't change the face that Aiden Enjolras is hot. Besides what he doesn't know won't hurt him."

Musichetta nodded, "True that!"

Cosette giggled at the two girls before turning her attention back to Eponine, "So why exactly don't you want to date Enjolras?"

"Whoa I never said I didn't want to date him, I just said we weren't."

Cosette stood up suddenly and pointed at Eponine accusingly, "So you do like him!"

The sudden movement made Eponine jumped three feet in the air and off the bed, further causing the three girls to burst out laughing. Eponine pushed herself off the ground and stared at her friends defiantly before plopping back on the bed. She decided to keep mum on the whole thing so Azelma suggested going through Cosette's collection of _Seventeen Magazines_ to see if there was anything helpful that could be told from them. The next hour was spent going through various articles and taking several quizzes to get to the bottom of their dilemma. Eponine offered no help and instead hung her head upside down and scrolled through her phone.

That was when she received a text from Enjolras;

**_Enjolras:_**_ How's girls night?_

**_Eponine_**_: Eh, not as bad as I thought but not great either. I am considering making a run for it soon._

**_Enjolras_**_: Aww poor 'Ponine._

**_Eponine:_**_ Hey if you were here you would feel the same way!_

**_Enjolras:_**_ Somehow I don't doubt that_

**_Eponine:_**_ Bleh! I got to go; if I stay on my phone any longer I fear the girls will confiscate it_

**_Enjolras:_**_ Best of luck!_

Eponine giggled and quickly locked her phone and set it on the bed next to her. When she turned her attention back to the girls in the room she found they were still no closer to figuring anything out then they were when they began. Finally Azelma had enough.

"Ok 'Ponine I want an answer! Do you like Aiden Enjolras?"

"I'm taking the 5th for that question but it doesn't matter either way." She answered with an eye roll.

Musichetta looked at her oddly, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Eponine sighed, "Whether or not I like Enjolras doesn't matter because he would never go for someone like me."

Cosette gasped, "Eppie! That's not true; don't put yourself down like that!"

Eponine brushed off her comment, "I'm just stating a fact. Enjolras deserves someone just as smart and amazing as him. He deserves someone charismatic, popular, friendly and…..pretty."

At her last word all the girls sprang up and stepped toward Eponine, "Eponine Tamara Thenardier!" Exclaimed Cosette, "Don't you dare say that you don't think you are pretty!"

"What am I supposed to say then? I don't think I'm ugly but I'm not exactly pretty either. I mean especially compared with all of you."

Cosette huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. She took Eponine by the hand and set her in a chair in front of the mirror of her vanity "Eponine you are beautiful." She said softly

"Now I know you are lying…." She said sarcastically but with a hint of sadness in her voice

A light bulb went off in Musichetta head and she took that opportunity to approach the two girls. "Don't take this the wrong way but have you ever heard of eyeliner?"

Before Eponine had time to react she was surrounded by the three other girls and became the unwilling participant of a make-over. Eponine tried to fight back at first but it was three against one and after 10 minutes she gave up and allowed the girls to do what they pleased with her. They constantly referred back to the magazines scattered across Cosette's room and eventually they picked out a style for her.

_Whoever said beauty is pain is right! _She thought anxiously as her eyebrows were plucked, her pace poked, her nails clipped and pained, her hair pulled back and her ear slightly burned when a curling iron clipped it. This went on for another hour and by that time Eponine's bum was getting sore and she was getting impatient.

"Look guys I really appreciate the effort but I think it a lost-" She was cut off as the chair turned around and she was met with her reflection. She gapped her mouth in shock and for a moment she was speechless, "I'm…I'm…"

Cosette giggled and closed the lip gloss tube as Musichetta put her hands on Eponine's shoulders, "You're hot! But stay away from Joly and Marius, they're ours!"

"But…" Azelma cut in, "Aiden, Aiden you can have."

Eponine shook her head nervously, "Oh no…."

Cosette cut her off, "We may not be street smart like you, but we're not idiots."

Eponine chuckled and gave them all a big smile, they all returned it. Eponine looked back at her reflection one last time and yet again she was shocked by it. She couldn't believe the girls staring back at her was herself, she had the same eyes and nose but her hair was styled perfectly, her cheeks and lips were the perfect color and her eyes popped out amazingly.

_Maybe there is hope yet…._

* * *

Eponine found herself standing in front of a mirror yet again. No matter how many times she looked at in the past 24 hours she was still shocked every time her eyes set themselves on her reflection. The girl she saw staring back at her had full dark pink lips and stunning chocolate eyes, her lashes were long and her thick hair was styled in a way that made it look like soft ripples of water; she was dressed in a dark multi-colored dress that stopped mid-way down her thigh and seemed to hug her perfectly and the heels complimented it perfectly. Each time she looked at her reflection she tended to just stand still and savor the moment, feeling almost as if she was looking at her reflection in a pound and the slightest movement would cause the water to ripple and take the girl with it. Eponine heard the happy voices of her friends and sister coming from down the hall as they gleefully got ready for the dance and she couldn't help but smile, it was then that she glanced down at her hand and noticed how it was trembling with nerves, she clenched it tightly into a fist and willed herself to stand still but there was only so much she could do. She took a deep breath and calmed herself down.

_Calm down 'Ponine, it's just a dance. Just like any other, there's nothing to fear._

The door bell rang.

_Here we go..._

* * *

**Just gonna say now, pantsing Enjy was not my idea, nor was geeky Enjy or bad artist Enjy...my friends read my fanfiction and they requested that i put those little aspects in. Their request always come at Enjy's expense but i love them for it!**

**As always please review! And cookie for whoever kind find Easter eggs (aka movie/book/play referances -its not necessarily Les Miz.)**

**Up next the dance! What will occur to our beloved amis! Will Erik show up? How will Enjolras and Eponine react to it all!? Tune in next week for another exciting additon of _West End High!_**

**Let me just tell you that i have had scenes from the next chapter written since before i even started writing this fanfiction! I'm excited!**


	35. Let the Spectacle Astound You

_Thank you ev_e_ryone for being so amazing_

_Please keep reviewing and reading! I love you all!_

* * *

"Well don't you look sexy?"

Enjolras resisted the urge to roll his eyes from his spot against the door frame as he glanced over at Grantaire lazily sitting on a chair with a drink in his hand. Enjolras wore a crisp black tuxedo with a white dress shirt, his hair was slightly gelled back and in place of a tie he had a red pocket square, Grantaire on the other hand sported black dress pants, a pale green dress shirt and a brown tie – neither really took the masquerade theme to heart- on the other side of the room Joly and Combeferre sat at a table playing chess looking equally as nice as the other two boys while they all waited for Marius to come down. The dance was that night and being who they were the guys thought it would be a good to meet up before the dance so they could all carpool together but they soon realized it wasn't a very thought out plan.

Enjolras groaned and checked his watch, "Maybe meeting up before hand wasn't such a good idea…"

"You think?" Squeaked Joly, "We are also the girls ride and if Marius doesn't get down here soon they will think we stood them up!"

"I'm starting to think Courfeyrac had the right idea when he went off to pick up Rachel on his own." Commented Courfeyrac as he surveyed the room, "I'll give Marius five minutes before I head out and leave him behind."

Grantaire shot straight up, "But man we need your car! We only came in three cars!"

"Well I'm sorry but in all honestly your girls have seen the worst of you to overlook being a little late but I am still trying to impress Alyssa and picking her up late is not a good way to start."

Enjolras finally had enough of it all and proceeded to stride over to the bottom of the staircase, "Pontmercy!" he shouted out, "You have all of thirty seconds to get your ass down here before we go up and physically force you down!"

"Calm down!" answered back the boy as he popped out of his room and made his way down. As he walked down all the other boys took the chance to stare at him and the blue velvet he decided to wear that night.

"Wow," whistled Grantaire, "don't you look spiffy?"

Marius chuckled, "Why thank you."

Grantaire laughed, "Really mom ami? You're wearing blue velvet suit?"

Marius shrugged, "Why not?"

Enjolras let them all discuss Marius choice in suits for another moment before he grabbed his keys and headed out the door, "Come on guys let's go, if we are any later the girls will have our heads for breakfast!"

* * *

Eponine stood the bright florescent light of Cosette's bathroom trying once again to make sure the girl she saw in the mirror was really her. She brushed a finger over her newly shaped brows and the soft fabric of her dress; she smelled Jasmine Cherry Blossom perfume coming of her neck and heard the laughter from the girls down the hall. Each of her senses were in action yet Eponine still couldn't grasp the concept that what she saw was real. She wasn't used to the feeling she was getting and a part of her had the fear that soon is would all disappear in an instant. The sound of the doorbell brought her from her inter musings, taking a deep breath she smoothed out the skirt of her dress and took a step out the bathroom. Before she had time for another step she saw the blur of Azelma, Cosette, and Musichetta run past her and down the stairs to the door. Eponine chuckled softly to herself and shook her head slightly at the excitement coming from the other girls before taking another deep breath and following the path they took down stairs.

Meanwhile downstairs the other three girls had rushed to the door and Azelma had beaten the other two to it. She anxiously turned the knob and flung the door open to see a small group of 5 boys and one girl standing in Cosette's front porch. Azelma smiled broadly at them and stepped aside to allow them into the house.

In an instant Grantaire was at her side and had an arm wrapped around her waist.

He smiled down at her, "Hey there beautiful."

"Why thank you, you don't look so bad yourself." She giggled and leaned in closer to him. In contrast to Grantaire's toned down attire Azelma was wearing a bright yellow dress that was ruffled at the bottom with a slit coming up her leg till mid-thigh, her hair was pulled back and curled and she had a matching Venetian mask upon her crown like a headband. Cosette was wearing a flowing white halter-style dress that hit just above her ankles with long black gloved that came up to her elbows, her hair was swept to one side and some black feathers made up her hair piece. Across the room Musichetta stood nearby Joly wearing a strapless deep blue dress with a large choker necklace and a giant matching ring on her left hand, her lashes were full and bold and when Joly first saw her he was speechless. They had all worked hard on finding the perfect dress for the occasion while fitting in the masquerade themed.

Nearby Enjolras leaned against the door with his arms crossed over his chest as he watched the interactions between all his friends, noting in the back of his head the absence of one of them. Before coming to Cosette's they had all followed Combeferre and waited in the driveway for twenty minutes while he picked up his date. It would have taken shorter had it not been the fact that she had no idea how to pin the flower onto his suit and the fact that her parents just couldn't seem to take enough pictures. His date seemed nice enough, she had short dark blond hair and the dress she wore resembled that of a flapper but Combeferre loved it and in the end that was all that really mattered. Enjolras sighed as she watched everyone already he could tell hit was going to be a long night but he kept telling himself to breath and make it through the night.

_Just one dance and then it will be over. Who know it might actually be fun…._

He was brought back to reality when he noticed shadows coming how the staircase in the form of a person. He raised his eyes up and was taken aback by what he saw. Eponine slowly made her way down the stairs to join the rest of them, she was wearing a one shoulder black dress with multi colored patterns that cut off a few inched above her knees paired with black booties and designed black tights. She had a thick black bracelet around her right wrist, her hair was let loose around her shoulder in soft waves and her lips were a bright red color that complemented her complexion perfectly and highlighted the small glittery designs by her eyes that made the gold flecks in her eyes stand out. She smiled at everyone and greeted them happily before spotting Enjolras and making her way toward him. She approached him with a nervous smile on her face.

"Hey" she said as she bit down on the corner of her vivid red lip and brushed a piece of hair behind her ear. "You look handsome tonight, I love the hair."

It was Enjolras turn to be speechless, "Hey, thanks…..you look….tall!" He finally able to blurt

Eponine's teeth let go of her lip as her face dropped slightly. "Oh thank you, it's the heels." She added as she looked at her feet and brought them together, "They're three inches."

He nodded, "You are going to regret that by the end of the night."

She chuckled, "Yeah but they are worth it."

"Let's see if you still think that by the end of the dance." He said with a smirk

"You're on!"

The two smiled at each other and participated in some other small talk, unknowingly to them Grantaire glanced over at Azelma and gave her a knowing look about the two teens in front of them.

"Bet you a kiss Enjolras will make his move on Eponine tonight."

She smiled at him "You're on!"

* * *

Light emitted from the school and even from 500 feet away the noise blasting from it was prominent in the ears of the entire group. Everyone had paired up with their date leaving Eponine and Enjolras as the odd ones out in the front of the pack. Excitement filled each one of them and it only increased as they got closer and closer to the school. The second they walked through the door they were hit with everything they had all worked so hard to achieve. The walls were all lined with masks, feathers and streamers; the tables were set with masquerade styled centerpieces and everything looked perfect- the beauty of the sight before her made Eponine grip onto Enjolras' arm in excitement.

"Oh Enjy doesn't this all look so amazing?!"

He smiled at her, "Yes it really does, and it's all thanks to you."

"And you guys too!" She added, "This never would have been possible without your help."

"Not going to lie, it was hard work."

She looked at him with a glint in her and jabbed a finger to his chest, "You see I told you so!"

"Yes Eponine I know…."

She smirked at him, "Say it then."

He looked at her quizzically, "What?"

"You were…."

He grimaced, "Oh come one please don't make me say it!"

She turned around and put her hands on her hips, "I won't let you live it down until you do! I'm stubborn and you know how annoying I can get."

"Oh fine!" He shouted, glancing at her long enough to notice the expecting and proud look on her face, "Eponine Thenardier you were….r…right and I was….wr….I was…"

She giggled at his struggle for words, "Come on say it!"

"I was wrong!" he finally yelped.

"Now was that so hard?" She teased

"You just love torturing me don't you?"

"I'm not going to deny the joy I get from it….."

They both bursted out in laughter and Eponine gripped Enjolras' arm to keep her steady. Their excitement was short lived however as they soon say Musichetta running toward them with a worried expression on her face.

She waved at them frantically, "Eponine!"

"What is it Chetta?"

"Eponine the DJ is stuck in a traffic jam and won't be here for at least another half hour!"

Eponine's eyes widened, "WHAT!? Oh crap!" She started pacing frantically and muttering to herself, "Oh crap oh crap! This is not good! What are we gonna do? We can't have a dance without a DJ! Oh this is bad this is really really bad!"

Enjolras took it upon himself to try to calm Eponine down. She grabbed her by the shoulders and made her stand still to face him, "'Ponine calm down, everything will be just fine."

"No it won't be Enjy! The DJ-"

"Isn't here but that doesn't have to ruin the dance."

"Well what are we going to do? He had all the equipment and we need music!"

Enjolras thought for a moment before a smirk found a place on his lips, "I have an idea."

Before she knew it Eponine found herself on the DJ booth stage with a microphone right in front of her with a scared expression on her face.

"Of all ideas you could have had you choose to pick this one!"

"Well it was my best one." He answered as she set up the last part of the microphone

"I can't sing Enjy! Why can't you have Cosette do it?"

"Yes you can 'Ponine! You have a great voice, it's only until the DJ gets here anyway."

"But but-"

"Just sing a few upbeat songs and then one slow one. That should be enough to hold off till the DJ comes."

She looked at him warily once more before sighing and gripping the microphone, "Ok fine!"

With that the microphone was set up and before long she forced herself to sing in front of the room full of people. She kept her eyes closed at first, thinking that if she didn't look at everyone's face then her nerves wouldn't bother her so much. The second her voice came out of her throat the room was silent but soon it was filled with cheering for her and the sound of people dancing. The songs she sang at first were very upbeat and easy to dance to, but after four songs a style change was necessary. Eponine rummaged through her brain for a moment before a song entered her head and she knew she had to sing it.

She cleared her throat before she began the melody, "_Here I am, surrounded in the aftermath that nothing good ever last. All this time I knew one day that you'd be gone, convinced myself I was wrong."_

At that moment Enjolras looked over at Eponine on stage and something in him fluttered. She looked so at ease at that point and he loved it.

"_I hear it now, silence is__ loud and I'm mourning more than you, now my entire life has changed I'll let you go, but still I hope That as soon as you left you wonder what could have been If you stayed around Cause only a selfish man would leave without One small attempt to work things out So go, be free of me Oh, I'll just replay how you left me rejected To wonder if I'm maybe somehow defective!"_

As she sang Eponine couldn't help but connect to the song lyrics, every word seeming to connect to everything that has happened to her in the past 6 months of her life. She also felt liberated as she sang, as if singing it finally allowed her to express what she had been concealing for all that time. She sang the last word and opened her eyes to see couples on the dance floor in each other's arms swaying to the music, it was a pretty sight to her but what was even better was the sight of the DJ coming in through the doors. As soon as she was done she let out a big sigh of relief and hopped off the stage to meet him, Enjolras noticed his entrance too and followed Eponine toward him. The DJ apologized, saying how there was an accident on one of the main roads and it delayed him, and offered a discount for everything. Eponine assured him that she understood and that he would still be receiving full pay as long as he kept the dance energized. Within no time the DJ equipment was set up and the energy was kicking.

"You know you did amazing Ep." Enjolras commented as they walked off to the ride of the room.

She blushed, "Thank you, it was a bit nerve-wracking…"

Enjolras chuckled at her, "For the girl who isn't afraid of anything? I find that hard to believe."

"Well it's true."

"I still can't believe you convinced me to do that!"

"I can be a very persuasive person."

"Oh I know." She responded as she gave him a shy smile.

Enjolras looked over at Eponine as she looked up at him. In the florescent lights of the school the swirls around Eponine's eyes sparkled and her hair shined, in the background the DJ played some soft melody and for a moment everything seemed perfect. Eponine smiled up at Enjolras- carefully studying his bright eyes, chiseled jaw, hair line and even the stubble on his chin- and found herself leaning closer to him as he found himself doing the same thing.

"Hey guys!" called Courfeyrac from the distance loudly, effectively ruining the moment the other two were having. He waved at them and walked over to them with his arm wrapped around a girl. "How's it going?"

Eponine resisted the urge to glare at him, "Just fine, you?"

"Same, this dance is amazing! I can't believe actually pulled it off!"

"I know me neither, it's unbelievable." She replied, "So who is this lovely girl and what is she doing with you Courf?"

The girl connected to Courfeyrac took a step toward Eponine and Enjolras and smiled brightly, "Hi I'm Rachel it's nice to meet you."

Eponine returned her smile, "It's nice to meet you two."

"I heard you sing earlier, you were great. You've got some real chords!"

Eponine brushed a piece of hair behind her ear nervously, "Aww thanks." Out of the corner of her eye she could see Enjolras give a look that said 'I told you so' and it took all of her will power not to roll her eyes at him. When Eponine glanced back at Enjolras the event that almost occurred hit her like a rock and she suddenly felt a little claustrophobic. "Um…I'm going to get something to drink, anyone want anything?"

Both boys shook their heads but Rachel offered to accompany Eponine but Eponine declined politely, she just needed some space for a moment to gather her thoughts. As she walked away a million thoughts hit her head.

_Oh my God! Did Enjolras and I almost…..No it can't be I'm not good enough for him. But then why was he leaning in….no maybe I was just imagining things, I'm a teenage girl I have an overactive imagination right?_

Meanwhile back against the wall the small group was soon joined by Marius and Cosette, and Combeferre and Alyssa. Rachel excused herself to go to the restroom and Cosette and Alyssa offered to go with her, leaving the boys alone.

"You know I will never understand why girls insist of going to the bathroom together." Courfeyrac commented as he watched the girls head off.

"Sometimes it's just best to let some things be and not question them." Replied Combeferre

"Fair enough…." Stated Courfeyrac before turning his attention to Enjolras, "So Eponine was pretty great up there tonight huh?"

Enjolras shrugged, "Yea she sounded great, took a lot of convincing to get her to go up there though."

"But you prevailed in the end didn't you marble man?"

"I guess, she saw my reasoning and in the end she rocked it."

"Yeah no kidding," added Marius, "she nailed every song and that last one had so much feeling in it! I had no idea she had that in her."

_You're oblivious to a lot of things Pontmercy…._ Enjolras thought bitterly but instead said, "Yeah she's been through a lot of crap lately, guess she used it to her advantage."

Marius nodded, "I know, especially after what happened with my cousin."

"That's not even the half of it Pontmercy."

"Oh I know." He replied

Something about the way he replied irked something within Enjolras and made him grind his teeth together, "No you don't know."

Marius narrowed his eyes at him, "What do you mean?"

"Don't go off pretending that you know about all of Eponine's problems because truth of the matter is you don't know the half of it! You're not the one who has to listen to her and make sure she is ok; you're not the one she's been turning to lately." His voice was coming off with much more venom than he intended but he just couldn't stop, "Hell you're not the one who has had to put up with her."

"Put up with her?" squeaked a small voice behind him.

The four boys turned to see a shaken up Eponine staring at them all with a pained expression on her face. Her lips were parted and her eyes glistened as if she was holding something back, she was positioned to face the whole circle but her gaze was directed solely toward Enjolras.

"Is that how you really feel?" she asked with pain in her voice

Enjolras looked at her in shock and moved toward her, putting his hand in front of him as if in surrender, "No Eponine that's not what I meant!"

She shook her head in disbelief, "I knew it! I knew you only felt sorry for me! All this time I thought…but no you just felt bad for the girl who had no one. You didn't actually care you just wanted to do your good deed for the day."

Enjolras looked at her pleadingly, "Eponine please listen I-"

She lifted her chin up to meet his eyes but this time they were filled with fire and defiance, "No! Screw it! I'm done! I'm done being someone's fucking charity case!" She turned on her heel and started to sprint out of the room. Enjolras tried to grab her wrist but she snatched it back with rapid speed and left the room even faster. Enjolras stood there in place for a moment as if to take in all that just occurred, however without a second thought he sprinted out in the same direction Eponine went, leaving behind three very confused teenagers.

Eponine ran; she ran out of the gym and out of the school, never looking back until she reached the large oak tree in the front of the school. She just had to get away from it all- the music, the people, Enjolras- it had all been too much to handle. When she first fell for Marius she warned herself not to fall again so easily and after Theodule she made a promise to not let love block her mind again.

"How could I be so stupid?" she whispered to herself as she leaned against the tree. She should have listened to her instinct when they told her Enjolras would never go for someone like her, that he was just some poor charity case in his eyes that he could use to make himself feel better about himself. "I should have listened but I didn't….."

A tear escaped her eye and she willed the others not to fall.

"Aww why the long face 'Ponine?" mocked a voice behind her, "Did pretty boy finally dump you?"

Her gaze hardened but she didn't turn around, "Go away 'Parnasse!" She sneered

Montparnasse simple chuckled and moved closer to her, "Tell me did you really thing putting on a pretty dress would change what you really are?"

She gulped, "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Don't act dumb Eponine you know exactly what I mean."

"No, I can't say I do….."

Montparnasse rolled his eyes and moved till he was right next to her ear, "You and me are a lot alike 'Ponine. We both come from the gutter yet we both think we deserve better, here's the thing Eppy, the truth is we don't." He hissed causing Eponine's blood to turn cold, "We are scum; your pretty boy will never see you as anything but pathetic scum. No matter what that is all anyone will ever think of you as, the pathetic, poor, depressing scum. It's cruel but it's the truth and the truth hurts sometimes 'Ponine."

Eponine turned her head and glared at him, "You're wrong…." She sneered

"Oh am I love? Tell me what happened to that brunette guy you had your eye set on, or the other one who kissed you on New Year's." Eponine flinched at his reminders and a smirk of satisfaction appeared on Montparnasse's face, "You see word gets around Eponine and the word is that you may try to run with the elite but you will never be worth anything to them. The only think you will ever attract is other scum like me…."

Without warning Montparnasse leaned in and pressed his chapped lips against her lips. Eponine reacted in an instant and kneed in him the crotch before punching his cheek and spitting at his face. Montparnasse did not react lightly and rage filled his beady eyes.

"You are going to pay for that you little bitch!"

He lunged toward her and Eponine tensed her body to brace for impact, having received beatings from her father she knew what was coming, but instead of feeling a hard blow to her body she heard a loud crack followed but a thud. She opened her eyes to see Montparnasse sprawled on the ground in pain clutching his face and Enjolras standing a few feet away from him with his hands clenched into fist and rage filling his rage.

"If you ever come hear her again I swear I will not let you off that easily." He growled in a low and menacing voice. Montparnasse didn't have to be told twice and in an instant was up and ran out of sight. Enjolras turned his attention to Eponine and his livid composition softened at the sight of her.

"Ep are you ok?" He asked, but she didn't respond and instead just stood there staring at the floor. "Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head, "No…..he just told me what I've been trying to deny."

"What do you mean?"

"He's right…I'm pathetic."

Enjolras shook his head and rushed over to her, "No Eponine-"

"No he is right, it's the truth. I'm not worth anything! Look at me Enjolras I'm just a girl playing dress-up! Putting on this dress doesn't change who I am! I'm Eponine Thenardier, daughter of a wolf and a crook! Like father like daughter the scum of the streets." Enjolras looked at her in disbelief and tried pleading to her that she was wrong but she continued, "I love but I'm never loved, care but never cared for, remember but never remembered! I just can't believe it's taken me so long to realize this! First it was Marius, then Theodule, and even you only pity me! I can't go on lying to myself! Why should I care if no one else does!?"

Eponine felt herself on the verge of tears and broke the gaze between her and Enjolras. She turned to run but before she could take a step Enjolras grabbed hold of her arm and spun her around and the next thing she was aware of were Enjolras' soft lips on her red one.

The kiss was strong and forceful yet it had a gentle and caring touch to it to, but just as quickly as it started it was over and Eponine opened her eyes to see Enjolras staring back at them. His hands were on her shoulders as if to keep her from running and his eyes stared at her pleadingly.

"I care Eponine! I've always cared!"

"No…." she whispered as she shook her head in doubt, "it can't be. Why would you care for me when you could do so much better?"

"No one else compares to you! I love how sarcastic you are and your wit. I love your sense of humor and how you never take crap from anyone. I love how annoying you are and the way you always manage to get under my skin." He took one hand and stroked her cheek with his thumb, "I love the way you bit your lip or play with your hair when you are nervous and how your nose scrunches up when you are upset…." He took a deep breath and tightened his grip on her, "I never pitied you Eponine! I said those things because I was mad at Marius but I didn't mean any of those words! I could never pity you because you are so strong and sure of yourself, another thing I love about you! I hate how you push people away but I know you do it out of fear of being hurt. I don't except you to feel the same way I just wanted you to know that I do care and I think you are the most amazing and beautiful person I have ever met."

The words hung in the hair and were followed by an eerie silence. Eponine looked up at Enjolras as she took in all he had just said to her; he let go of her shoulder, expecting her to run off but she just stood there.

"You….you followed me out….." she whispered as if trying to wrap her brain around it, "You…you care!"

The moon glistened off the tears on Eponine's face and Enjolras saw them clearly as she looked back at him, what she did next surprised them both. She took a tentative step toward him and cupped his cheek with her hand, her thumb stroking his jaw line, Enjolras automatically leaned his face into her hand and then Eponine reached up and gently placed her lips onto Enjolras'. Without missing a beat Enjolras wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her in closer, Eponine smiled against his mouth and he did the same. He could feel the wetness on his cheeks from her tears but he didn't care, all he cared around was the girl he was kissing.

They stayed like that for as long as they could but when it was over Eponine buried her head into Enjolras

Enjolras had never been one for girls or relationships, he saw no point in them, but Eponine was different, she snuck up on him. Every moment he was with her he was happy, even when they were fighting. She was so different from everyone else, she was strong, stubborn and defiant but he loved that. He never pursued her because he never wanted to admit his feelings and he never wanted to force anything to happen.  
Eponine lifted her head to look at his face again, a smile playing on her lips. All this time that she had been whining over Marius she never realized Enjolras was always there. Part of her always liked him but she never felt good enough for him, if Marius didn't want her then what possible chance could she have stood with Enjolras. But she never felt safer or more secure then she did in that moment in his arms. He made her feel safe and cared for, something she never felt before. He was perfect to her- smart, loyal, passionate, funny, talented, stubborn, kind, understanding- and she never felt happier.

Enjolras met her eyes and he reached a finger under her chin and kissed her once again, this time tender yet firm. His other hand found its way behind her neck and Eponine's arms embraces his neck as well. A cold breeze gave her chills and forced them to separate. Enjolras smiled at her and noticed her shivering. He shrugged off his suit jacket and placed on top of her shoulders before throwing his arm over them as well and bringing her close to him. Eponine responded by placing her head on his shoulder and snaking an arm around his waist.

"Come on; let's get inside before you catch your death."

* * *

**Worth the wait? ;P**


	36. Chapter 36

**_If you have not read Chapter 35 do it! DO IT NOW! READ CHAPTER 35! Trust me on this!_**

* * *

Erik had seen the whole thing. He had decided to come to the dance after all and after Eponine sang he followed her to congratulate her and make his presence known, but he was stopped short when he saw she was accompanied by someone else. He decided to lurk in the corner and approach her when the time was right; it was from there that he watched as she got hurt and ran out of the school. Thinking of all that she had done for him he followed her out, hiding in the shadows. His heart reached out to her as he saw her break down near the tree, thought it was obvious she was holding back and doing her best to keep herself together. The moment he saw Montparnasse his worry changed to anger and he was about to beat his nose off when out of nowhere Enjolras appeared and seemed to have saved the day. All the anger and worry within him changed to anxiety as he watched Enjolras confess everything to Eponine and soon Erik was filled with pain and betrayal as he saw Eponine return his feelings. She was the only one who understood him. No one else knew heartbreak like they did; no one else saw things like they did do. Eponine was the one friend he had in the world and now she went back on everything. She left him. Now only had Eponine fallen for someone but she fell for someone who was the exact opposite of him. Now Erik was alone again.

* * *

Marius, Courfeyrac, and Combeferre all stood awkwardly in silence in the minutes that followed Eponine storming out. No one really knew how to react to what just happened and some –namely Marius- had no idea what was going on at all. He had tried to run after her to make sure she was ok but Combeferre grabbed his arm before he could and held him back, telling him to leave it to Enjolras, a knowing look on his face.

"You really think Enjolras is going to be able to calm her down?" Marius asked as he looked around between the two

"I don't know," responded Combeferre solemnly, "I hope, but she was pretty pissed. I mean I've seen angry Eponine but this definitely tops it all."

Courfeyrac nodded, "Yea no kidding, she dropped the f-bomb! She's only ever done that once and that was when that little kid -"

Marius flinched and cut in, "Let's not relive that moment….."

Courfeyrac shrugged, "Not my fault she ranted at you after that."

"Wasn't my fault either," Marius dejected, "Talk about wrong place wrong time."

"Yeah I get what you mean…." Combeferre nodded, "Anyway back to the subject of importance…..at this point I think Enjolras is the only one with a clear enough head to calm her down."

"But he is the reason she ran off!" exclaimed Marius, "Did you not see the way she looked at him after he yelled at me? I swear there was some serious pain in those eyes."

"Which makes Enjolras being the one to apologize all the better." Reassured Combeferre

"Apologize for what?" asked Grantaire as he walked toward the group holding Azelma's hand, behind them were Cosette, Rachel, and Alyssa. "And where are Eponine and Enjolras, I could have sworn I just saw them standing here."

Cosette nodded, "Yeah where are they? I thought Eppie would have been back by now."

Grantaire turned to face Cosette, "You call her Eppy too? Does she give you crap about it because she is ALWAYS giving me crap!"

"Grant this is NOT the time!" yelped Azelma before turning her attention back to Marius, "Where did my sister run off to?

Marius sighed, "Well from what I've gathered I said some things and then Enjolras got pissed and said some things, which Eponine overheard, then she got pissed and yelled at him before running off…Enjolras went after her."

Cosette and Azelma's eyes widened and they shared the same facial expression, "WHAT?!"

"You heard him." Stated Grantaire, "Shit went down and word vomit was spewed ….. And now Enjolras is out somewhere trying to calm down a pissed off Eponine"

Azelma shook her head, "For his sake I hope he succeeded. I fear Eponine may prevent him from ever having children again if he doesn't."

"Would she really do that?" asked Rachel wide-eyed

"Yep," answered Azelma, "you should have seen what she did when our neighbor at our old house didn't pick up his dog's shit from our yard after she asked him twice."

Grantaire raised an eyebrow, "What exactly did she do?"

"Nothing you need to know, trust me its better that you don't." Azelma giggled as she revisited the memory, "Let's just say she plays dirty."

"Who plays dirty?" asked Joly, approaching the group with his arm around Musichetta

"Oh great…." Muttered Marius, "Now everyone is here; why not just invite channel 5 news to broadcast this!?"

Cosette took his hand, "Sweetie I think you are being over dramatic…"

"I am not over dramatic!" He yelped as his arms waved around sporadically, "I am just a little confused as to what just occurred and how two of my closest friends are now off fighting, who knows if they will both come out alive, and on top of it all everyone and their sister is here to hear about it!"

Marius panted and huffed deeply when he finished his monologue, his hand clenched at his sides. The group went silent and gawked at the brunette before Courfeyrac chuckled, "Oh yea definitely not over dramatic….."

Combeferre rolled his eyes at Courfeyrac before bringing a hand to his chin and looking at Marius with curiosity, "I'm still trying to figure out why Enjolras went all off on you."

"Why am I always the one who everyone gets angry with?" Marius moaned, causing Cosette to rub his back affectionately "Is there something about me that just irks people and makes them want to yell at me?"

"I think it's your overly freckled face Marius!" Called a feminine voice

Everyone turned to see none other than Enjolras and Eponine walking toward them with smiles on their faces, their past tensions seemingly forgotten. They all stared at them with their mouths hanging open as they took in the scene before them; Eponine had Enjolras' jacket draped over her shoulders and her arm was snaked across his waist while Enjolras had his arm wrapped around her shoulder, holding her closely and affectionately. Eponine looked over at the group who stared at her in bewilderment and was generally amused by their expression.

She cocked an eyebrow, "Is everything ok?"

Silence filled the group. Eponine looked up at Enjolras as if he knew what was going on between their friends but he was just as clueless as her so she was met with a shrug.

Marius broke the silence, "'Is everything ok?' I don't really know why don't you tell us?"

Enjolras looked at him as if he was insane, "Well everything is fine for us…..are you guys ok?"

Marius gaped his mouth like a fish before continuing, "Wait! You two just ran off with a hell of a lot of tension and now you're all back to normal!? I was expecting at least a shouting match!"

Eponine smiled and tightened her arm around Enjolras, "Well I wouldn't say things are back to normal exactly….."

Joly switched his gaze from Enjolras to Eponine and back as if trying to wrap his brain around what he was seeing, "Wait are you guys….._together_ now?"

Enjolras chuckled, "I guess you could say that."

The crowd went silent again. Everyone looked at each other and back at the new couple; their eyes wide and their mouths gapped open like fish- save for the two girls who no idea of the tension-filled story going on between the two people of interest at the time.

Marius looked the most shocked, "What? Why? How…..when…WHAT?!"

Courfeyrac ignored him and grinned before running toward them and trapping them in a bear hug. "Well it's about time! I knew you two had a thing for each other! I just knew it!"

Combeferre chuckled, "Called it."

Enjolras raised an eyebrow at them and opened his mouth to speak but was stopped by Grantaire slapping hand on his back. "Congratulations mon ami! Here I was afraid that the two of you would never get together."

"YES!" yelped Cosette, "I swear if you two didn't get together soon I was going to hold an intervention!"

Musichetta giggled, "I would have locked them in a closet till they revealed their feelings."

Azelma joined Grantaire's side, "Yea it was obvious you two liked each other but both of you were too stubborn to do anything about it!"

Enjolras glanced down at Eponine who in turn met his eyes. Both their cheeks were turning slightly pink but they were determined not to let their friends get to them, so Eponine scoffed, "Oh please it wasn't that obvious."

"Yes it was!" replied Grantaire and Azelma in unison.

Grantaire smirked at Azelma, "Now I believe someone owes me a kiss."

Azelma narrowed her at him playfully, "Now wait a minute. You said I owed you a kiss if Enjolras made his move on Eponine, how do we know she didn't make a move on him?"

Grantaire laughed, "Well let's find out from the source." He shot his eyes up to the couple that was looking more and more uncomfortable by the second. "So who made the first move?"

"Enjolras did."Eponine answered simply, she felt the arm around her shoulder tighten as she moved her hand up between Enjolras' shoulder blades.

Cosette beamed with excitement. "Oh my gosh really?! Oh that's so romantic!" She ran over and threw her arms around Eponine, causing her to detach herself from Enjolras and jolt in shock.

"Cosette easy…..I can't breathe!"

Cosette let go of her with an embarrassing look on her face, "Oh I'm sorry Eppie! I'm just so happy for you! You two are finally together!"

Rachel and Alyssa looked at each other from where they stood by the wall.

"Do you understand what is going on?" asked Rachel

Alyssa shrugged, "From what I've gathered Eponine and Enjolras finally got together and everyone is super happy for them."

"I never knew they were so into each other's love lives…..are they like this for everyone?"

Courfeyrac saw his date's confusion and quickly put a hand on her shoulder, "Let's just say this is long overdue. We have been expecting the two of them to get together for months."

Enjolras heard his comment and sent him a glare, "I'm sure you're over exaggerating."

Combeferre shook his head, "No he's right. I've called his since Cosette's birthday party, don't you remember?"

"And I've been waiting for his since Thanksgiving!" added Courfeyrac.

Rachel looked up at him in awe, "Thanksgiving? But that was 4 months ago!"

"Like I said it's long overdue."

Meanwhile the girls were hounding Eponine with questions.

"How did he make his first move?"

"Did he sweep you off your feet?"

"Was it romantic?"

"Did you finally crack the marble!?"

Eponine backed closer and closer against the wall with each question until she was firmly pressed up against it.

"ENOUGH!" She shrieked-her shout enough for all of them to go silent. "One question at a time please for Pete's sake!"

Grantaire cocked at her, "Who is Pete? Are you leaving Enjy for someone else already?"

Enjolras glared at him, "Don't call me Enjy…."

Azelma saw the tension build up and stepped in, "So back to point A… how did Enjolras make the first move?"

Eponine shrugged sheepishly, "He um…he kissed me."

The boys all turned toward Enjolras and gave him a wolf whistle and he in turn turned slightly red.

"Damn Enj I didn't know you would be that direct!" yapped Courfeyrac

"When you get passionate about something you really get passionate don't you?" teased Marius.

"The marble had broken!" Cheered Grantaire "And Azelma Thenardier now owes me a kiss!" Azelma narrowed her eyes at Grantaire playfully before softening her gaze and giving him a quick peck on the lips. Grantaire was about to make a remark toward her when another thought crashed into his head. "You know Enj' now you can say that Eponine actually kissed you."

"Yeah," added Courfeyrac, "Unless you count that one time a few months ago."

Eponine rolled her eyes, "Are you guys talking about Christmas? That doesn't count! We were stuck under mistletoe!"

"No," stressed Courfeyrac, "I meant that one time we got our scores back for finals!"

Eponine's eyes widened, "Oh come on that does not count in the slightest! It wasn't even a kiss that time!"

Musichetta tugged on Joly's arm, "What exactly happened?"

He looked at her with a smile in his eyes, "Well back in January we were sitting at the café, you know hanging out as usual, and we had all gotten our scores back from our finals. *Well Eponine looked at hers and then put it face down on the table. Enjolras asked why she was hiding her score, to which she said she wasn't; she just didn't feel like rubbing her score into anyone's face. Well Courfeyrac decided to take the paper with his scores and _literally_ rub it in her face; Eponine didn't take that lightly so she stuck out her tongue and licked the paper."

Musichetta looked at him in confusion, "I'm still not seeing how this relates back to a kiss."

"Wait it gets better," he reassured, "You see Courfeyrac rubbed the wet paper against Eponine's shirt to get the saliva off but then Enjolras made some comment about them being immature so Courfeyrac proceeded to rub the paper onto Enjolras' face. Everyone bursted out in laugher and Eponine practically fell out of her seat from laughing so hard. Through his tears Courfeyrac was able to muster out 'Well at least you can say you've been kissed by Eponine'*. After that I don't really remember what happened."

Musichetta rolled her eyes at him, "I swear I don't know why anyone puts up with you guys."

* * *

The moon shined brightly in the night sky as Enjolras dropped Eponine off at Cosette's house. They had first dropped off Combeferre and Alyssa off at their respective houses but now it was just them two alone in the car. As they pulled into Cosette's house Enjolras reached out for Eponine's hand, causing her to smile widely at him.

"I hope our friends didn't annoy you too much." He teased

"No I found it sweet, and in their defense they have been waiting for this for awhile."

"Yea I know…..I want to say I'm mad at them for being but I can't. I'm actually kind of happy that they were." He said leaning in close to her

She smiled, "I'm happy too."

"I just hope that nothing awkward happens between us. I like you too much to lose you as a friend if things well you know….."

She looked at him affectionately, "No matter what I know things will turn out ok. Besides being in a relationship allows some new opportunities doesn't it?" She said with a wink

Enjolras that as a welcome sign and closed the gap in between them; his lips felt soft and warm on Eponine's and she closed her eyes and deepened the kiss as he placed a hand on her neck and stroked her cheek softly with his thumb. She pressed one hand against his shoulder and the other played with his thick hair. The kept their lips locked for as long as they could and when they broke apart both their mouths were slightly swollen.

Eponine looked at Enjolras and let out a little chuckle, "You got some lipstick on your mouth Enjy."

Without a second thought she reached up her thumb to his lips and gently tried to rub the lipstick off. Enjolras grabbed a hold of her wrist and smirked at her before placing a kiss to her knuckle. She grinned and gave him an equivalent kiss on his cheek.

They were moments from having another make-out session in his car when Cosette's front door opened and they saw the blonde girl's outline on the porch.

Eponine sighed as she detached herself from his and began to get out of the car. "I guess we will have to continue this later."

Enjolras smiled, "I look forward to it."


	37. Chapter 37

**Hey guys, just a short chapter full of fluff for now. I'm not really in a good mood today (let's just say the world is unfair and you can do all the work and still lose your rightly earned place due to biasesness...) but writing makes me feel better**

**Please review and if you can please look at my one-shot "passion makes the flowers grow" and tell me what you think.**

**Thank you**

* * *

Eponine walked down the halls of the school with a light hop in her step Monday morning. Saturday had been amazing for her and Sunday was full of interrogation on part of her sister and two friends. She absentmindedly spun in her combination to her locker and hummed as her mind wandered, she was so out of it that she didn't even notice someone approach her and stop right next to her locker.

"So you and Enjolras huh?"

Eponine jolted a bit and turned to see Marius leaning on the locker next to hers. She chuckled, "Yeah me and Enjolras…."

He nodded, "How long?"

She scrunched her nose at him; he was there when they had gotten together, "Saturday?"

"No I mean how long have the two of you liked each other? How long have I been oblivious to you two getting close?"

She giggled, "How are you so sure it was a process?"

He smiled at her playfully, "You may think I am an idiot 'Ponine but I know my friends and I know the two of you are not the type to act on a whim. You both think things out and ride this out, never making a decision until you're absolutely sure."

"Wow you really have things figured out don't you?" _Not that you are right_.

"Answer my question 'Ponine!" He yelled playfully

"Oh fine," she said with an eye roll, "to be quite honest I'm not really sure how long it's been going on. I would say it started when he began tutoring me but I know it started before that." She sighed, "I really wish I could give you a straight forward answer Marius but I can't. I guess we just snuck up on each other."

Marius gave her a smile, "I'm happy for you. You two deserve each other! You guys have to be some of the most amazing people on the planet."

"Why thank you Marius." She replied with a hint of sarcasm in her tone.

"So how was your weekend?"

"Oh it was interesting." She smirked, thinking back to her time after the dance

After Enjolras had dropped her off at Cosette's and she walked through the front door it took the girls less than 10 seconds to start jumping on Eponine and bombarding her with questions. They wanted to know everything, from what he said to how she felt to what his kissed felt like. She was just about to answer them when Cosette stopped her, locked the front door and led everyone toward her room. After that she had gotten out some popcorn and set it in between them all on the bed, she also told everyone to put their phones on silent and locked her bedroom door shut. Apparently this was a moment that just couldn't be interrupted.

"So…." Musichetta began, "what was the kiss like?"

"Well it was tender yet firm. Soft yet strong…" Eponine began

"Oh did he smell good? Please tell me he smelled good!" squealed Musichetta

"Chetta!" exclaimed Cosette

Eponine laughed, "No its ok, he did smell nice. He had this musk to him, like cologne and a woody smell, it was really nice."

"Oh Eppie I am so happy for you!" chirped Cosette and she hugged her brunette friend. "I knew you and Enjolras had a thing for each other I just knew it!"

"Yeah you guys are perfect!" added Azelma, "Oh I can just picture it now, _Enjonine_ the power couple?"

Eponine raised an eyebrow, "Enjonine the power couple?"

Azelma simply shrugged, "It was a nice ring to it."

"He only just kissed me tonight; I don't even know what his full intentions are…"

Musichetta placed her hands on her hips and gave Eponine a stern look, "Ep, I've seen how men act around a girl and I've seen Enjolras, mind you they are two completely different things. The way he looks at you, especially after tonight shows that you are special to him and that he really cares. He likes you a lot Eponine and knowing him he will definitely be a good boyfriend."

"Thank you Chetta."

That night after all the gossip and girl talked quieted down and the others fell fast asleep, Eponine found herself staring up at the ceiling- her mind full with thoughts of Enjolras. She started to look back on the time he gave her ride when it was raining, and how he wouldn't let her go home when her father's gang was there. She remembered when he started tutoring her, the time they played football at Thanksgiving, when he came to help her decorate for Christmas and all the other times he had been there for her. That's when it hit her; Enjolras liked _her_ Eponine Thenardier, her and no one else- fair to say that she fell asleep happy that night.

As she walked down the hallway with Marius she couldn't help but feel even happier, the world just seemed brighter. It was lunch time and she thought about going to the auditorium but she decided against it, instead she followed Marius to the cafeteria and sat down by him to wait for all their friends. As they filed in all the guys gave Eponine a wink, a pat on the back or in Grantaire's case a "Way to crack the marble girl!" Eponine chuckled at their little gestures and rolled her eyes at their excitement, not that she could blame them they had been waiting for him to get a girlfriend since middle school and they were just happy Eponine had claimed that spot. As the boys came in Eponine kept her eyes out for Enjolras, it wasn't until 10 minutes into the lunch period that he finally made his appearance but once he did Eponine's eyes lightened up and the second he saw her his did too. He quickly made his way over to them and took a seat next to Eponine. They smiled at each other and it took all of one moment for Grantaire to comment on the two.

"Yeah Enjonine the power couple!"

Eponine chuckled, "You've been talking to Azelma haven't you?"

"Maybe a little," he admitted, "but Enjonine had a nice ring to it."

"Now I know you have been talking to Azelma!" she teased

"When she is right she is right."

Courfeyrac added his two bits, "So does this mean that you two are a thing now?"

Enjolras glared at him, "Courfeyrac now it not the time to discuss that."

"Ooooh do you guys still have to have 'the talk'?" He asked with a wink

"Courfeyrac…." Enjolras warned

He put his hands up in surrender, "Touchy subject I get it. But may I just say that you two make a really cute couple?"

Conversation went back to normal after that and even Eponine and Enjolras acted completely normal, it was almost as if the dance revelation never happened, but both knew better and they weren't ones to show massive amounts of PDA. Talk mostly consisted of school, Spring Break, and annoying teachers. When the bell rang signaling the end of the period both Eponine and Enjolras took their sweet time getting their stuff together and getting out of the lunch room.

As they exited Eponine turned to him, "Um Enjy…"

He met her eyes, "Yes?"

Eponine wanted to ask what they were and so many other questions but instead all that came out was "Um…are we still on for tutoring after school today? I have that big physics exam Friday."

Enjolras mentally slapped himself, "Oh crap, sorry Ep I can't. I have baseball tryouts this afternoon. I forgot to tell you."

She waved it off, "Oh no don't worry about it, its fine. I know how much you love baseball."

"Thanks for understanding." He said, "I've got to get to class but I'll talk to you later ok?"

"Alright" she answered quietly as she watched him walk away.

* * *

Enjolras stepped onto the baseball field, his shoes poking holes into the soft brown dirt. A worn in baseball cap on his head kept the sun from his face as he impatiently tapped his bat against his feet. When it was his turn to bat he took in a deep breath and set his stance. It didn't matter how many times he was at the plate, try-outs always had a way of getting to his nerves, though he tried very hard not to allow it to affect him. He lifted his eyes to meet the pitcher when he caught the sight of a familiar brown cap set upon a head of long black hair. She smiled at him and gave him a small wave from her spot on the bleachers. Enjolras gave her a smile to match her wave and a slight nod before turning his attention back to the pitcher. The ball was thrown and Enjolras was ready, the second the ball was in his sight Enjolras was ready. He hit the ball perfectly and automatically sprinted across all the plates, the ball was in motion and soon the opposing team was sending it back causing Enjolras to slide across the floor and make it to home plate with an inch of time to spare. When the dust cleared he could hear Eponine clapping for him, making him all the more happy, something about having her there to see him made the try-out all the more important.

When the process was finally finished Enjolras grabbed his duffle bag and ran over to her as she was making her way off the bleachers.

His entire mood lightened up as he made his way to meet her, "Hey what are you doing here?"

She smiled at him, "Well since my tutoring got canceled by schedule opened up, so I thought I would come and support you!" She answered as she took the tip of his cap and turned it so he was wearing it backwards, "You looked great out there by the way." _Especially your but in those pants…._

He threw his arm across her shoulders and placed a kiss to the top of her head, "You're amazing, you know that right?"

She reached up her hand to grasp the one hanging loosely on her shoulder. "I try." She beamed as they walked out of the stadium together.


	38. Chapter 38

**Hey everyone. Thanks for the reviews last chapter, I know it wasnt the best but it was fluffy. Your reviews did make me feel a little better. I'm still not happy, things actually got worse (I cried earlier and I NEVER cry... but i'll spare you the details) but I've had two large frozen strawberry lemonades and a medium sprite from McDonalds in the past few hours so I am on a sugar high with an itch to write**

**Pleas keep reviewing, i love the support :D**

* * *

The bell rang signaling the beginning of fourth period and Eponine found herself walking briskly to the auditorium. While she had more reason to be at the cafeteria during lunch now she still loved spending time in the auditorium, whether it be playing the piano and singing or talking with Erik, it was just something that she enjoyed. As she entered the large empty room she felt very uneasy. The room was darker than usual and as she neared the piano she noticed Erik sitting up in the alcove by the stage.

"Hello Erik!" She called up, giving him a friendly wave. He flickered his gaze over to her for a moment before turning back to stare at shadows on the wall. Eponine felt confused by his actions and took a seat at the piano bench. "Is everything alright?"

"Peachy" he replied in a monotone voice, not even bothering to look at her.

Eponine pursed her lips, "Did I do something to offend you?"

Erik didn't reply right away, instead choosing to sigh and glance over at her for a moment again, "No Eponine you didn't do anything….I'm just not in the mood for talking." He sneered before getting up from his seat and began moving out of sight.

"Are you sure?" she called

"Yes!" he barked, "I am positive. Now if you would please leave me to my thoughts." Without another thought Erik strode out of sight into the blackness of the room.

"Erik if something is wrong you can tell me!" She tried calling out, unsure if he would hear her

"Why don't you just go back to your perfect boyfriend and talk to him." He muttered too softly for her to hear.

Eponine stared at the empty chair where Erik just sat in confusion. Her stomach dropped at his disappearance, she knew something was wrong with him and she had the feeling that it was all her fault.

* * *

Enjolras sat at the lunch tables with the Amis, his full attention on the textbook in front of him. He was in the middle of taking notes on the June Rebellion when his pen was swiped from out of his grasp. He automatically pivoted in his seat and found Courfeyrac and Grantaire standing beside him, the former playing with the pen in his fingers.

Enjolras pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a deep sigh. "Can I help you with something?"

"Yes actually there is," answered Grantaire, "we have a question and we want an answer."

"What exactly is your question?"

At this point all of the guys stopped their previous conversation and turned their attention to Enjolras. Their eyes showed seriousness and Enjolras was getting an odd feeling from them.

"Well it's really more of a demand." Began Courfeyrac nervously, he paused and them looked at Grantaire as if not knowing what to say next.

Combeferre sighed and took the lead, "They are apprehensive about you and Eponine." He explained

Enjolras cocked an eyebrow at them, "What do you mean?"

"What we mean," began Grantaire anxiously, "Is that it's been almost four days since you and Eponine got together but you guys hardly act like a couple should at this point."

"I still don't understand what you mean."

Courfeyrac moaned and took a seat next to Enjolras, "Dude you two are a newly formed couple. Normally at this point you guys would be all lovey dovey and inseparable to the point of being annoying! Instead I see you hold hands like once and that was during AP Gov! I mean look, this is one of the only class periods you guys share and she's not even here! Come one even Grantaire is having a cuter relationship with a Thenardier."

"Lovey-dovey?" Enjolras asked

Courfeyrac slammed his palm to his face, "That's what you got out of that?"

Enjolras sighed and rolled his eyes, "Look I know you're concerned but Eponine and I just aren't lovey-dovey people. We aren't like Pontmercy and Cosette, we aren't disgustingly cute."

"Hey!" yelped Marius

Enjolras shrugged his shoulders, "Sorry mon ami but its true." He turned back to his other friends, "We don't need to go flaunting the fact that we are together every moment of everyday."

"Have you at least asked her out on a real date?" asked Joly, "Please tell me that you at least did that."

Enjolras resisted the urge to roll his eyes again, "Not that it's any of your business but for your information I have indeed asked her out."

All of the boys lit up at that moment and Courfeyrac practically jumped out of his seat with joy. "Now we are getting somewhere!"

They all got excited over the new found information and went to chat idly about, making this the perfect time for Enjolras to turn back to his book, however he found that his mind kept wandering back to the afternoon the day before.

Eponine had been sitting in a bench outside the café by some trees, Enjolras finally had a free afternoon and the two of them had decided to continue the tutoring session –partly because they both wanted her to get a good grade but mainly because it was their alone time together- and the weather had been so nice out that they decided to move the lessons outside. As he neared her he couldn't help but admire the sight in front of him, from the breeze that made her hair dance slightly to the pen cap that was stuck in between her teeth as she concentrated on the work in front of her. Enjolras felt a smile tugging at his lips as he took a seat next to her and began digging through his backpack for books and other things he needed.

"Little kids are so adorable," she began as she looked off into the distance to stare at some children playing in the park, "You know I always thought childhood should be about swings."

Enjolras looked at her oddly, this was certainly an odd way to start up conversation but he went with it anyway. "What do you mean?"

"I mean the feeling you get when you are on a swing as a child. You know the push pull feeling and thinking 'how high can I go?' 'If I kick my legs harder will I go faster?' 'Can I spin any faster?'"

"How high can I get before being scared to jump off?" He added

"Yeah," she exclaimed, "I used to love swings; they were my favorite part of the park when I was little. I remember my parents pushing me before I could push myself off and looking down at Azelma and Gavroche and feeling like I was flying over them."

"What happened?"

Her smiled faded a bit, "We stopped going."

Enjolras felt a bit guilty about her sudden mood change and gulped before continuing, "So what do we need to focus on today?"

She shook her head as if to shake away the uneasy feeling, "I was thinking Physics, I have an exam Friday remember?"

"Oh right….sorry."

She shrugged it off, "Not a big deal, just make it up by helping me on centripetal force."

"Will do Ms. Thenardier,"

They began their session normally at first with her listening intently as he made her understand the content of the lesson, but a little while into the lesson Enjolras found his arm moving on his own accord until it was wrapped around her waist with his hand firmly placed on her hip. Eponine in turn scooted closer to him and placed her free hand lightly on his knee. No words were exchanged about their positions they simply continued on in the comfortable presence of each other. However thoughts soon began filling Enjolras head and after about 20 minutes he couldn't take it anymore.

He cleared his throat, "Ep?"

"Yes?" She answered, her big chocolate doe eyes looking up at him as she plopped her elbows on the table and rested her head on her hands.

"Are you busy this Friday night?"

"Not that I am aware of."

He nodded, "Well then now you are. Does 6pm work for you?"

She scrunched her nose at him, "Did you just ask me out on a date?"

"Yes I believe I just did." He responded playfully

She smiled up at him and kissed his cheek, "Then 6pm is perfect."

Enjolras knew there were other, more romantic, way to ask a girl out on a first date but he thought that it being Eponine he was asking out, the direct way was the best way.

He was still looking at the same page in his textbook when Grantaire brought him out of his inner musings.

"So what exactly are you guys going to do on your first date?"

"That's me to know and you to not." Enjolras replied sternly

"Oh come on Enjy," whined Courfeyrac, "Please tell us!"

"Yea," added Feuilly, "What does the marble man have in store for the rose?"

"The rose?" he inquired

"It's the nickname we have Eponine," explained Jehan, "but please Enjolras tell us! Is it something romantic? Are you going to sweep her off her feet?"

Enjolras chuckled, "I'm not telling you guys anything and before you go pestering Eponine she doesn't know anything either- I want it to be a surprise. I am keeping all of you in the dark."

Jehan crossed his arms over his chest and pouted, "No fair."

* * *

Eponine stared at herself in her bathroom mirror as she desperately tried to do something with her uncooperative hair; to say she was anxious about tonight would have been an understatement. For the first time in her life Eponine had gone through her entire closet to try to come up with the perfect outfit, and Enjolras was no help as all he told her was to dress comfortably. In the end she had decided to throw on a pair of skinny jeans paired with a dark blue sweater thrown over a long red tank top and her favorite books for a sense of security. Sure she and Enjolras have hung out alone together before, some of those times being worthy of being classified as dates and she knew better than to be nervous but this time it was her first real date with Enjolras and she couldn't help the butterflies from fluttering in her stomach. At the sound of the doorbell Eponine finally decided on throwing her hair in a loose long-hanging side pony before turning to run out the door only to be stopped by Azelma in the doorway.

"You going off on your first date with Enjy?" she asked with a suggestive eyebrow raise

"Yes as a matter of fact I am," she replied cheekily

Azelma's smile grew wide and she threw her arms around her big sister, "Oh go off and have fun! I am so happy for you 'Ponine! Just be safe and don't be home too late."

Eponine giggled, "Since when did you turn into a mother?"

"Since it was high time you stopped acting like one and had a little fun in your life."

Eponine smiled and gave her sister another hug before stepping out in the hallway, "Thank you Azelma I love you. I'll be home by midnight the latest."

"Love you too!" she called out after her.

Eponine took a deep breath and opened the door to see Enjolras standing there with a single thorn-less lavender rose in his hand.

"For you," he stated as she handed her the rose, their fingers brushing together as he did so –his lingering much longer than necessary.

"You're enchanted by me?" She asked as she delicately petted the rose with her fingers.

He smiled at her and led her out to his car, "Yes I am."

"I'm surprised you know the meaning of different roses." She commented as she grasped his free hand with hers.

"I'm just full of surprises." He teased

Meanwhile at Courfeyrac's house all the guys were pacing around his living room with Enjolras and Eponine on their minds.

"I'm really curious to see what he has in store for her." Said Feuilly from his spot on the couch

"I'm just nervous he is going to screw it up." Stress Jehan, "I mean this is Enjolras we are talking about here! He isn't the most romantic guy and Eponine is the kind of girl who loved romance."

"Knowing him he will probably take her to a history museum." Commented Combeferre gravely

"Oh no…." whined Courfeyrac, "He's going to be dead meat before he even steps out of the car if he is doing that!"

"Who's going to be dead meat?" asked Gavroche as he came into the room and sat down next to Grantaire.

"Enjolras," explained Grantaire, "he will be dead if he takes Eponine to a museum on their first date."

Gavroche's eyes widened to the size of saucers, "Wait Eponine and Enjolras are dating now?!"

"Well they are just going on their first date today." Clarified Combeferre, "But they already had their first kiss last week at the dance."

"I miss everything!" exclaimed Gavroche as he proceeded to sulk on the couch with his arms crossed over his chest.

Combeferre laughed and Grantaire ruffled the little boy's hair.

Gavroche glared at them all, "I don't really like being out of the loop you guys. And what's more I don't like the feeling of Eponine potentially going on the worst date ever."

At that moment Courfeyrac stopped his pacing and a light bulb went off in his head. "You guys I have an idea, but be warned it requires maximum stealth."

XXXXXX

The moon shined brightly in the sky and it's light reflected off Eponine's hair as she apprehensively stepped out of the car and looked up to see where Enjolras had brought her, or more specifically what he had brought her to. Of all places he could have taken her on their first date this was certainly not what she had in mind. Enjolras glanced over at her and noticed the apprehension in her eyes. He reached out and grasped her hand to squeeze it in reassurance.

"Come on you will love this." He assured

She bit her lip, "I hope you are right."

They walked on but stopped when Enjolras thought he heard rustling and voices nearby. Eponine clung onto his arm and they brushed it off as a squirrel or the wind.

A short while later Eponine was cautiously stepping onto the uneven pathway high above the ground while her arms clung desperately to the strong harness attached to her. She took another step but her foot began to slide and she unwillingly let out a yelp of fear out of instinct. Enjolras turned his head to look back at her with playfulness in his eyes.

"You alright?" He called

She nodded fretfully "Never better…" She responded as she kept moving forward. "Off all places to take me he chose this." She mumbled to herself under her breath, "He could have taken me to the movies, to a nice dinner, a flipping museum for crying out loud but no he decided to take me to a freaking ropes course! I am so lucky I decided to wear pants…"

Her feet finally landed on the platform at the end of the rope path and she automatically flung her arms around the steel pole going through the middle of in. Her breathes were low and deep at that point and she looked pale. In an instant Enjolras was at her side.

"You look like you're having fun." He teased

She glared up at him, "Oh yeah tons….." She straightened up and let go of the pole so she could face him, "This is definitely one of the most…_original _dates I have ever been on."

"Yeah I can tell." He chuckled

"Well forgive me for being a little apprehensive, I've never been on a rope course before. Being a hundred feet off the ground with nothing but a harness to catch you is a little nerve wrecking."

Enjolras gave her a small smile and squeezed her shoulder affectionately, "I know but once you get to the top it's worth it."

Eponine looked up at his face to ask what he meant but before she could he already left to do another rope obstacle. Eponine took a deep breath and forced down the uneasy feelings she was getting before going onto another rope path as well, this once looking a lot easier than the last one she was on. She kept going through the other paths, being wary of the ones that looked much too difficult and dangerous for her, while glancing up at Enjolras every few minutes to check his progress. She found that he was doing the courses she found to difficult and every time he caught her looking at him he would simple smirked down at her and give her a wink. Eponine kept going through the obstacles, seeing that with everyone she did everything became easier and easier. She finally got to one that resembled a net and decided to go for it and attempt it. She got about half-way through when she stopped and looked out at the sight before her, it was breathtaking. The sun was just beginning to set behind the tall oak trees and the breeze make the leaves dance in the air, the people below her mingled and went about their daily business completely oblivious to the girls staring down at them from above. From the corner of her eye she also spotted some familiar figures lurking nearby but she pushed that thought aside. Eponine gripped tighter to the ropes at her side and let out a big smile, she felt on top of the world.

"Having fun down there?" Enjolras asked from a course slightly above her.

She nodded, "I'm queen of the world Enjy!"

_Mission accomplished_ he thought.

After the rope course they gathered their thing and set out to find something to eat, but not before Eponine stopped Enjolras in front of a fountain and asked to take pictures. They both sat on the edge of the fountain and Eponine wrapped one hand around Enjolras while the other held up the camera and he in turn draped his arm around her shoulders. They had taken a few pictures like that when Enjolras decided to plop a kiss on Eponine's cheek just in time for the camera to capture it and her shocked expression that accompanied it. When they finished they looked through the photos and laughed at some while smiling over others. Then they finally reached a little Italian restaurant about a block from where they had been and decided to eat at one of the outside tables. They ordered a large meat ravioli and breadsticks to share along with their usual drink. After the waiter had taken their order Enjolras got up to use the bathroom, leaving Eponine alone at the table. When she was sure he was out of ear and eye sight she turned her chair to face a group of bushes and trees nearby her table.

"You guys know you are the worst spies ever right?" she called out

The reply to her comment was a series of 'oh man', 'she caught us dude', and 'I told you this was a bad idea' as a small group of teenage boys and one kid stepped out from their hiding spots. Eponine tried to hold back a laugh as she took in what they were wearing, most of them had dressed in all black from head to toe with beanies hiding their hair, some went as fair as painting black streaks on their cheeks, and Bahorel had taken the liberty of wearing camouflage, dark blue camouflage.

Courfeyrac glared at her and took his beanie off, "How did you figure us out?"

She let out a dry laugh, "You forget that I am the queen of spying and stealth, plus your extensive noises and ruckus don't help either." She teased, "And for future reference, the next time you are doing to spy on someone don't dress like spies to that extend."

"What are you talking about?" demanded Gavroche as he puffed out his chest

"Gav you are wearing your ninja costume from Halloween last year." She stated humorlessly causing the little boy to deflate a bit and a snicker to come from Courfeyrac, "Like you are one to talk Courf, you're wearing a cat suit!"

"And I suppose you know how to dress like a spy?" Challenged Feuilly

"Try dark brown or gray in the future, it's less attention getting and it blends in more, and for goodness sakes don't paint your faces!"

The boys all looked down in slight shame while Eponine gave them an 'I-told-you-so' face.

"So a rope course…" said Joly sheepishly, "That's original."

She nodded, "My thoughts exactly, but it actually turned out to be a lot of fun." From the corner of her eye she spotted the top of Enjolras' head, "Now I suggest you guys make yourself scarce before Aiden sees you and flips out."

"Good call…" mumbled Bahorel. Within a minute all of the guys left and were out of sight but not before Courfeyrac gave Eponine one final wink and a thumbs up.

Enjolras took his seat across from Eponine and their food was served in no time after that. They ate dinner comfortably and kept discussion very light. By the time they were finished the sky was black and stars twinkled brightly in comparison with the streetlamps that were just starting to turn out. Before heading back to his car Enjolras suggested a walk through the park to which Eponine happily agreed. As they walked clung onto his side and nestled her head on his shoulder, taking in his warm inviting musk.

"You know I used walk alone at night a lot." She commented off-handily

He raised an eyebrow at her, "Really now?"

"Yeah," she replied simply, "There was this big area of grass right behind my house with a river going right through it, it led to the heart of the city. I used to go there when everyone else was sleeping; it was nice to have that time to myself to thing and dream. Living inside my head was nice at that point."

He looked at her with concern, "You've been through a lot of shit in your life haven't you?"

"Yes," she shrugged, "but I've gone through some nice things too. Besides what doesn't kill you makes you stronger right?"

He nodded and tightened his arm around her. She closed her eyes and let Enjolras and her feet guide her through the park, perfectly content in listening in to the sounds of the crickets and mumble of voices in the distance. When Enjolras suddenly stopped Eponine immediately looked up at him in confusion.

"Why did you-"

She was silenced by him turning her around to face his destination. There about 15 feet away from them was an empty swing set just begging to be used. Eponine looked back at Enjolras with a sparkle in her eye and a large smile on her lips. Enjolras caught her eyes and gave her an affectionate smile.

"I figured you deserve to have the feeling of flying again."

With that he took her hand and lead her to the swing but instead of taking the one next to her he stood behind her and the second she was settled in he started turning the swing around until it was twisted as tight as it could go and then he gave it a firm shove so that she was spinning around in a circle. She giggled in delight and gripped tightly onto the chains holding the swing up, her hair flying right behind her. Once the swing stopped spinning she expected him to take the one next to her but he surprised her yet again by pushing her forward. She smiled back at him and kicked her legs up and back down to gain momentum and once she was back down he pushed her again, causing her to go up even higher. She finally reached a point where she could see past the trees and at that moment she closed her eyes and pretended she was flying over the world. The fall back down was slow and captured her imagination in wonder. She stopped moving her legs and soon her swing were becoming less high and less quick. She felt Enjolras wrap his arm around her torso so slow her down and bring her to him; he placed his chin on her shoulder and buried his face in her dark thick hair. They stayed like that for a while, both completely content with how they were and neither wanting to break the moment. Eventually Enjolras lips found their way to Eponine's neck and she gently pulled her hair away to allow them better access. His lips felt cool on her neck and the feeling sent shivers down her spine. He slowing made his way up her neck and across her jaw and Eponine turned in the swing to allow him to capture her lips. He kissed her softly at first but it deepened almost automatically causing a slight moan to escape from her lips. He cradled her cheek with his hand and pressed her face close to his. His tongue snaked its way out and lightly traced her bottom lip causing her to smile against his mouth, his tongue then scrapped against her teeth. Eponine let out a small chuckle and tried to keep her lips from pursing together.

He reluctantly broke apart from her, "Is there something wrong?"

She giggled again and shook her head, "No it just that…for a moment I was all like 'whoa Enjolras' tongue is in my mouth!'"

He let out a dry chuckle, "Ha-ha, and that is funny how?"

"It's not funny it's just that…well it's us you know. It's me and you. I mean we've been friends for so long and now it's just struck me that we are together. It's a weird feeling."

He nodded stoically, "I see."

"Oh Enjy don't be like that, I'm sorry if I offended you I didn't mean to." She said as she took his hand in hers, "I really like you Aiden, I have for a while I just never realized it. Tonight has been the most amazing night ever and to make it even better I got to spend it with you. I'm sorry if I say or do stupid things but please don't let that ruin our evening." She pleaded.

Enjolras looked down at her again and his eyes softened at the sight of her pleading ones. Leave it to Eponine to crack the marble and make him go soft._ Damn you 'Ponine._

He gently placed a finger under her chin and brought her lips to meet his once more.


	39. Chapter 39

**What did you all think of their date? Cute huh? Not bad for a girl who's never been on a date right? (though i must say i did bring some experience into it).**

**BTW I have two polls set up on my profile so if you all could take a quick look and vote i'd appreciate that :D**

**Thank you to everyone who reviews/ pm's me/ or even just reads this story! It means so much to me that you all actually like my writing!**

* * *

The moon stood out brightly in the night sky as Eponine walked up the narrow sidewalk leading up to her small house. Everything about her night had been perfect, from the lavender flower not tucked into her hair, to the ropes course and the swings. For once Eponine was more than content she was happy. She dug through her pocket for her house key when she noticed something odd at near the door. There at the corner of the window pane was a thick red hair-tie. Eponine took a silent step back away from the door and did her best to control her breathing. It was then that she finally noticed a black car parked down the street from the corner of her eye along with the soft blue glow coming from the living room window. She knew exactly what the red hair-tie meant, trouble, and she silently thanked her lucky stars that she and Azelma had created a way to warn one other without tipping off other people. Azelma used to be loyal to their entire family and that included their father, if he asked her to do something she would most likely do it without much question, but after one fight between them and their parents got really bad Eponine had gained one advantage, Azelma's trust and love. Azelma would still do almost anything she was asked but she would always cover Eponine's back just as Eponine would do the same.

Realizing the implication of the warning Eponine instinctively took another step back but as she did so the old wood beneath her creaked under her weight and Eponine froze in place. The night suddenly turned deathly silent with nothing but the howl of the wind to cover up the creaking wood and the loud beating of her heart. After what seemed like hours but in reality was only a few seconds Eponine slowly rolled onto her toes and side stepped away from the door. She gracefully hopped over the railing on the side of her porch and crept along the side of her house until she reached her bedroom window. With the familiarity of someone who had done this countless times before Eponine effortlessly climbed onto the window-still and quietly opened the window before sliding in like a shadow. The second her boots touched the rough carpet that adorned her floor Eponine let out a small sigh of relief. Azelma automatically popped her head up from her book and looked over at her from her spot on her bed.

Eponine brushed some dirt off her dark jeans, "I got your warning."

"Good," Azelma nodded, "I was worried it was too subtle."

"Probably but I have really good intuition." Eponine answered as she took a seat on the edge of Eponine's bed. "Who's here?"

"Montparnasse and Papa, they are currently in the living room planning something or other."

"Well that's not so bad…..You could have texted me you know. I got you that cell phone for a reason."

"You are really starting to sound like a parent." Azelma teased.

"Well someone has too." Eponine responded flatly

Azelma sighed, "I couldn't text you because I left my phone at Grantaire's earlier today….."

Eponine's hand flew to her forehead, "'Zelma!"

"I'm sorry! It fell out of my pocket when were watching a movie. It's probably in between his couch cushions at the moment."

"Oh whatever," Eponine groaned, "How long has Montparnasse been here?"

Azelma shrugged, "About an hour."

"What did he and dear papa say when they realized I wasn't home."

"Montparnasse wasn't too happy but Papa didn't seem to care until Montparnasse brought it up, after that he was irritated. Luckily mom diverted their attention."

Eponine gave an apathetic clap, "Hooray Mom to the rescue…."

"She loves us in her own way 'Ponine."

"I know…." Eponine sighed and laid down flat on her back, "I just wish things were different 'Zelma. I'm tired of sneaking around and feeling like a prisoner in my own home."

"I understand Ep'…..so to change the subject how was your date with Enjolras?"

Eponine smiled and light up entirely.

Meanwhile about 500 feet away in another part of the Thenardier house sat none other than Montparnasse and Thenardier himself.

"I know this house," began Thenardier, "it's worth a fortune and the people are hardly ever home. It's perfect!"

Montparnasse raised an eyebrow at him, "How do you know they are never home?"

"I've been scouting it out for a few weeks. The Mr. and Mrs. hardly ever show their face for more than a day and their kids barley set foot in the area either. I tell you this will be one of our easiest and most profitable jobs ever!"

"If you say so old man…." He replied apathetically as he lay back in the chair. Thenardier went on and on about the theft he had planned and Montparnasse pretended to listen, to him all jobs were the same- you break in, you get the stuff and you get out before you get caught, simple- and the only reason he really came was to catch a glimpse of Eponine but thus far the girl had not shown her face. Montparnasse flinched a tad when he thought he heard faint creaking coming from the outside then from the corner of his eye he saw the silhouette of a girl in the window. Judging from her movement as she ran away Montparnasse guessed it was none other than Eponine herself.

_Not so sneaky are we 'Ponine….._

He grinned but made a note not to mention anything to Thenardier, especially after he heard the name of who they were robbing.

* * *

Enjolras and Combeferre looked at each other as they walked out to the field. After about a week of practice the baseball team was having a scrimmage to kick off the season. It wasn't a very big deal but they were excited none the less, after this it was going to be nonstop games against their rivals. Sure it wasn't as exciting as football but baseball was still important to the two boys. The two of them took a detour and made their way to the water gallon sitting at the edge of the stadium for the players. They each took a cup and Enjolras leaned against the nearby wall, they chatted idly about nothing in particular when all of a sudden Enjolras felt something cover his eyes and pull him in.

"Guess who" teased a feminine voice behind him

Enjolras smirked, "Well seeing as there are so many people to choose from how about I guess Gavroche?"

"You jerk!" yelped the voice playfully as the hands were dropped from his face

Enjolras smiled and turned around to face her, "Nice to see you two Eponine."

She scrunched up her nose at him in mock anger and crossed her arms over her chest in a huff causing some strand of her hair to fall over her face. She was wearing Enjolras' practice jersey and a cap, her hair was pulled up into a ponytail but her uneven bangs still tickled her forehead. She glared at him for another moment before rolling her eyes and leaning her elbows on the wall.

"So you excited for the scrimmage?"

He shrugged, "It's just a scrimmage but yes. I'm shocked you actually came."

She gave him a sassy smile, "Well I need to show support don't I? Besides I had nothing else to do, Mr. Myriel didn't schedule me for today."

The corner of Enjolras mouth twitched in a half smile, "But you could have worked if you wanted to, Mr. Myriel would give you any shift you ask for."

"True," she sighed, "Keep in mind I never said I didn't want to be here."

Enjolras smiled at her yet again and reached up for a kiss but before he could he heard Combeferre cough loudly behind him. Enjolras rolled his eyes and separated himself from the wall. "Sorry I've got to go."

"Good luck!" She called out as they walked back to the field before she returned to her spot on the bleachers.

"She really cares for you man." Commented Combeferre as they walked to the dugout.

Enjolras rolled his eyes, "Well we are dating so…."

Combeferre chuckled, "No she doesn't just like you she cares. I mean come on have you ever seen Eponine willing go to a sport match without anyone pestering her? Yet here she is."

Enjolras thought about for a moment before seeing that Combeferre had a point and that made him feel all the better. The game went swimmingly, it was red vs. black and hopes were high for both teams and neither was willing to give anything less than 110%. Combeferre starting at bat and as he stepped up to the plate he focused all his energy on the pitcher and the ball, nothing else existed. His zoning worked as he hit the ball and it flew across the field, allowing him to get to second base fairly easily. Things kept going well for both teams and soon Enjolras was at bat. He too hit the ball on his first try and it flew across the field, landing all the way in the far corner. As the outfield scurried to reach the ball Enjolras sprinted to get past the plates. He was rounding to third when the ball was being thrown back into the infield. With limited time and opportunity and only a short distance away from the safety of the base Enjolras acted out of instinct and did a power slide on his side to reach home plate. The ball and he were only milliseconds apart and the crowd held their breath as the referee called it out.

"SAFE!" He yelled, "The runner is safe!"

The crowd went wild and from the corner of his eye Enjolras noticed Eponine jumping in her seat with joy, the strands of hair escaping her hat jumping with her. The outfield experience for him went smoothly too, he caught balls and threw them back fluidly. He leaped across the field and without batting an eyelash he and his team worked as a fluid machine. The other team did well but in the end Enjolras team- red- won the scrimmage. Victory never tasted so sweet.

After the team meeting was held and a congratulations was exchanged between the large group of baseball players Enjolras quickly changed out of his uniform and quickly made his way over to the stadium. He was happy to see Eponine waiting there.

"What did you think of the game?" He asked as he shifted his duffle bag on his shoulder

"It was nice." She responded, "You did great, no surprise there…."

He chuckled and wrapped his arm around her waist, "I swear you think way too highly of me."

She smiled and nuzzled against his shoulder as they walked to his car, "You've never given reason otherwise."

He drove her home after the game it was late in the afternoon and both of them were fairly tired. As they pulled up into her driveway Eponine asked if he wanted to come in and he answered yes without much thought- while they were both tired from the day neither really wanted to split up quite yet. He followed her inside and into the kitchen. As he went further into the small house he noticed that it was overly quiet and the only other sound was some mumbling voiced coming down the hall.

"That's my mother." Eponine explained as she dug through the fridge without even bothering to look up, "She's probably watching some talk show right now or some Spanish Soap Opera."

Enjolras raised an eyebrow, "She speaks Spanish?"

"Si," she responded simply while taking out a bottle of apple juice and two cups, "I do too, though not well, I can barely make coherent sentences. I lived in a Hispanic neighborhood for growing up. Learning Spanish was kind of essential."

Enjolras took his cup but looked at her with wide eyes, "I never knew that."

"It never came up." She shrugged, "The place we lived was like a ghetto, my parents used to run this really crappy motel but it got us buy. However after we went bankrupt they had to sell that termite hotel and move us to an even worse crap-hole deeper in the city. We didn't get here in knock-off suburbia until after my father started his new….._business_. It still not great but it's a little better than before and on the plus side I'm familiar with all kinds of Mexican food and I have a very high spice resistance…."

"You never cease to amazing me 'Ponine." Enjolras said fondly as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her in for a kiss, however for the second time that day their moment was interrupted yet again, this time by the very plump Mrs. Thenardier.

"Oh my what have we here," she cheered, "did my little Ep' finally snag herself a man?"

"Mother…." Eponine hissed

The woman ignored her and approached Enjolras who at the moment was very uncomfortable as she neared him but kept his face set like a stone.

"He's quite handsome and he seems well built and well off too. Makes me wonder how you snagged him." She commented "I mean don't get me wrong Ep' your attractive and all but he is on a whole other level! Did you lose a bet hon?"

Eponine turned bright red, "Mother!"

Enjolras chuckled nervously, "Oh Mrs. Thenardier it's a _pleasure_ to make your acquaintance"

"Oh and he's polite too! Really Ep how much did you pay him to be your boyfriend."

Eponine's mouth was gapping open like a fish but no words seemed to come out of her throat. Enjolras decided to step in at that moment and try to save her.

"Ma'am I assure you that I'm not with Eponine because I lost a bet or because she is paying me. I truly like your daughter and enjoy her company. She is very insightful and headstrong, making her the perfect person for me to run ideas and butt heads with." He took her hand and grasped it tightly, "She is truly a very amazing person."

"Oh it just warms my heart to see someone talk about my dear Eponine in that way." Called a voice behind them causing Enjolras to slip his arm around Eponine's waist

Everyone turned around at that moment to see Eponine's father and Montparnasse walking through the doorway and into the small kitchen to meet them. Enjolras recognized Montparnasse from the dance and his gaze automatically turned cold. Eponine and Enjolras had been focusing so much on what her mother said that neither noticed a car pulling in or head the noised that would usually accompany it.

"Good afternoon all," greeted Montparnasse smugly.

Eponine felt Enjolras' arm tighten slightly around her and that both made her feel protected yet uneasy at the same time.

"Afternoon Monty" Eponine returned icily giving Enjolras shoulder a tight grasp, "I hope you guys don't mind but Enjolras and I were about to head out."

"Nonsense!" hollered Thenardier, "I finally see the guy who Eponine's spends so much time with. Lord helps me I want to get to know him. Say are you any good at poker?"

Enjolras became somewhat confused by the sudden question and he felt Eponine's grip on his shoulder strengthen and out of the corner of his eye he saw Eponine slightly shake her head as if warning him not to fall into a trap.

"I doubt a rich boy like him ever had the want to learn poker." Sneered Montparnasse, "Only thing know how to play is golf and chess."

Enjolras knew he shouldn't have responded and he should have followed Eponine out toward the door but Enjolras was a man of pride and he wasn't about to let some random creep degrade him.

"I'll have you know I can indeed play poker. It's one of my favorite games."

Eponine widened her eyes at him as if to say 'what the hell are you doing?" but Enjolras did pay he any mind. Despite Eponine's subtle warnings and implications Enjolras found himself sitting in her living room facing everyone minus Mrs. Thenardier ready to play poker. Everyone threw in $10 and the game began without an issue. However soon stakes were raised and after many rounds it all came down to one final battle. Eponine and he father had folded long ago and now it was only Montparnasse and Enjolras battling head to head. They glared at each other, each having their own reason to hate the other and neither wanted to back down. They had both run out of chips but they didn't want to call their cards right then, the stakes still had to be higher.

"That's a nice poker face you got there." Commented Montparnasse

"I know," replied Enjolras, "its gift. You gonna call your cards?"

Montparnasse shook his head, "No I still want to bet a little more."

"You're out of chips and money." Enjolras stated

Montparnasse didn't even flinch, "That's a nice watch you got there."

"Thanks," responded Enjolras coldly

"If you want to raise the stakes you can bet on it."

Eponine shook her head to tell him not to do it but Enjolras wouldn't listen and instead narrowed his eyes, "Only if you wager that ring on your finger."

"Deal!"

In the end a man did walk away with a watch and a ring but that man was Montparnasse, his cards proved to be just a bit better than Enjolras. After that Eponine all but physically forced him to leave the game and her house. In silence they walked out to his car.

"You know if I hadn't pulled you out when I did he would have probably made you bet your car too." She said as they finally approached it and slapped a hand on the hood, "And he would have cheated to get his hands on this beauty."

"I would have done it willingly too." He smirked

Eponine rolled her eyes, "You're an idiot" she teased before wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling him close to her, "But you are my idiot."

A little later in the day Courfeyrac, Feuilly, Grantaire, Bossuet, and Bahorel were all walking out of a video game stop in the mall.

"You know what I'm thinking." Stated Courfeyrac nonchalantly

"No but please enlighten us." Responded Bossuet sarcastically

Courfeyrac ignored his friends tone and grinned, "Enjolras won the bet."

Bahorel raised an eyebrow, "You mean the bet from weeks ago?"

"The one where we wagered on who would be able to take Eponine out on a date first?" asked Feuilly

"The very same!" exclaimed Courfeyrac, "He doesn't know he won it but he did! Looks like we're all going to have to pay for his drinks at the Café Musian for the next month" He stated sarcastically causing everyone to laugh.

No one noticed a dark figure lurking nearby that just got the news of their life and knew exactly who to reveal it to.


	40. Chapter 40

**Hey readers! I wrote a one-shot for barricade day and i would greatly appreciate it if you would read it. Also in honor of barricade day I dressed up as Eponine and made a barricade in my living while watching Les Mis and belting out the songs...I have ABSOLUTLEY NO SHAME!**

**I am officially out of school for the summer! Meaning i have more time to write now! (sure i have college apps to do and online consumer ec to take but whatev's)! Side note, for my APUSH final we had to take a song and twist the lyrics to something historical! It was flipping awesome!**

* * *

"Enjolras! Enjolras!"

At the sound of his voice being called the man in question turned his head to see a spunky brunette sprinting over to where he was standing with Courfeyrac. As she ran Enjolras noticed a piece of paper grasped tightly in her hand. Before he had time to process what was occurring Eponine was about 5 feet away from with jumping with joy.

"I did it Enjy! I got an A on Physics Test!" She said enthusiastically, "It brought my grade up! I'm going to pass Physics!"

"That's great!" He replied with a smile. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she flung hers around his neck so that he could spin her around in cheer. "You really did it!

"It's all thanks to you!" she reminded him, smiling up at him as she did so.

Enjolras smiled at her too and the couple stood there for a few moments just looking at each other before Courfeyrac cleared his throat.

"So I go and give you two a moment?" He teased

Eponine stuck her tongue out at him. "No it's fine I have to go anyway. I'll see you all later ok?"

It was then that Grantaire happened to walk down the hall and spotted the three friends standing idly by Enjolras' locker.

"You guys are having a mini party and I wasn't invited?" He asked in mock pain. "That hurts guys that really hurts!"

Eponine rolled her eyes at him. "Oh cool it wine-cask!"

"Why do you insist on calling me that?"

"Shall I remind you about Courfeyrac's party last summer and where I found you passed out?"

Grantaire winced, "Yea I'm starting to remember now…"

"Anyway I'd love to stay and chat but I have to get going." She said again as she spared a glance at her wristwatch. "Grantaire I'm heading home real quick if you want to accompany so you can hang with Azelma."

He nodded, "I'm intrigued. I rode my bike here; hand a free ride on my handle bars? You can act as my navigator."

She smiled widely at him, "Sure thing!"

With that the two of them ran off to the back parking lot where the bike rack was held, leaving the two bookworms to their lonesome selves.

"Why is it that every time I offer Eponine a ride or the slightest bit of help, she always tries to reject it but she accepts it from Grantaire so easily?" Asked Enjolras while trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice

Courfeyrac shrugged, "I don't know mon ami... maybe she just likes him better."

Enjolras huffed, "Oh I hope not…."

"Oh calm down Enjolras!" He shouted, "Eponine likes you and you know it. She probably only accepted his offer because she enjoys riding on bike handle bars over a stuffy car."

"My car is not stuffy!"

Courfeyrac put his hands up in surrender, "It was just a thought Enjolras."

Enjolras was about to open his mouth to give back some witty comeback when they both saw Combeferre running toward them in haste. As soon as he reached them he squeaked to a stop and bent over from the waist down to let out a large breath. He stayed in that position, hunched over with his hands on his knees, for a few moments before straightening up and pushing his glasses a little up his face.

"Is there something wrong?" Asked Enjolras with concern

Combeferre shook his head, "You will never guess what I just heard!"

Enjolras and Courfeyrac reacted at the same time, "What!?"

"Speech results are in from our last competition and our school made it to the finals! Enjolras even got first in his category! They are even posting a story about this in the local paper!"

Enjolras smiled widely, "This is great!" He paused for a moment before an idea struck him. "Well I've certainly had enough good news today, this calls for celebration!" The two boys let out loud cheer and clapped at their leader's suggestion but Enjolras chuckled in response. "No boys not for you! For me and Eponine- I thinks it's high time we have a nice date, what better occasion than this!"

Courfeyrac looked at him in shock, "So you are ditching us for her? What happened to bros before whoes?"

Enjolras' face turned cold and he looked at Courfeyrac with a deadly glare, "What did you just call my girlfriend?"

Courfeyrac suddenly saw his mistake and automatically took a step back, "No I…I…"

Luckily Combeferre stepped in and saved his ass, "Girlfriend huh? So it's official then?"

Enjolras automatically relaxed, "Well I mean I guess. We've never put a title on it but I'm pretty sure that's accurate." A smile played on his lips as he said that.

Courfeyrac sniffled, "That's adorable."

He was automatically silenced by another glare from Enjolras.

Meanwhile a few blocks away Grantaire and Eponine were traveling to her house in style.

"I never asked so tell me," began Grantaire, "what's it like knowing you were the one who cracked the marble man?"

She laughed, "Oh it feels great! I completed the impossible! I feel like I deserve an award."

Grantaire chuckled at her before pulling over and pulling his bike over. Eponine hopped off the handle bars as Grantaire reached down and picked up a flower from the ground and an empty water bottle from his backpack. He placed the flower in the bottle and handed it to Eponine.

"Ms. Thenardier I present you with this coveted award for breaking the marble." He said in a mock announcer's voice

She fanned herself and pretended she was going to cry, "Oh thank you! Thank you! I just want to thank all the little people out there who helped me earn this marvelous trophy!"

They both shared an amused glance before bursting out into a hysterical laughter. After a few minutes of nothing but uncontrollable laughter Grantaire was finally able to semi-compose himself and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"In all honesty I'm glad you were the one to break the marble. You are right for him."

She smiled warmly at him, "Thanks R that means a lot.….and if I had to be honest, there are a lot worse guys Azelma could have chosen to date so you are actually a pretty good match for her."

His face lit up, "Do you really mean that?"

She smirked devishly at him, "No."

"You devil women! No wonder you and Enjolras are such a good fit."

Little did they all know the happy couple was about to be hit with a curveball.

* * *

"Where are you off to?" Azelma said as she saw Eponine walk out their bedroom door. She was wearing dark jeans and a black t-shirt with a green hoodie and her black converse.

"Off to the café," Eponine stated while pulling her hair into a messy ponytail. "I actually work you know. I'm only a few paychecks away from getting myself a car, no more crappy bike."

"I thought you liked that bike…." Azelma teased

"I do love that bike but there comes a time in life when I need a new set of wheels."

Azelma giggled, "Well while you are out working on a Friday night Grantaire is taking me to see _Warm Bodies_."

She narrowed her eyes at her sister, "Didn't you just hang out with him earlier today? As in like two hours ago?"

Azelma shrugged, "He misses me and I want a date night. It's a win-win situation."

Eponine rolled her eyes, "Well you enjoy your date night. Just stay safe and don't stay out past midnight or I will personally troll your phone for an hour before I find you and drag you back by your ear."

"Ok fine!" Azelma groaned before giggling, "I love you Ep'"

"Love you too Zelma!" She called over her shoulder just as she walked out the door. As soon as she turned her gaze back to her front yard to see a face she never wanted so see. "Montparnasse…" She stated in an icy tone

He gave her a wicked grin, "Why if it isn't my little 'Ponine! Just the girl I wanted to see."

She glared at him, "What do you want? I have a job to get to and I really don't have time to deal with you."

"Oh but you have time to deal with pretty boy huh?"

She rolled her eyes, "I like him 'Parnasse and he likes me to! The sooner you accept that and leave me-"

"He bet on you Eponine." He blurted, cutting her off

She looked taken back, "What?"

"He and his buddies had a bet going on about who could get you to go on a date with him first."

"This isn't funny Montparnasse," She sneered as she walked right past him, "and if you think this is going to break me and Enjolras up then you have a-"

He cut her off again, "I'm not making this up Ep! I heard them talking about it at the mall! He threw you into the pot just like he threw in his watch."

She stood her ground, "I don't believe you. You are a cruel conman. Lying is your life!"

"Believe me Eponine! You have to admit there was a time when I was your friend, a time when you trusted me."

"There was a time when I did a lot of this I should never have done…."

"Have I ever lied to _you? _Sure I have been cruelly honest and a pain in the ass but have I ever lied to you?" He asked knowingly. Eponine froze. He was right- Montparnasse was a thief, a liar, a brute and a bunch of other things but he had never lied to Eponine, if anything he was just always honest to the point of being evilly so. "Think about 'Ponine he never says no to a challenge does he? Whenever given a task he goes above and beyond to get it done, always coming out on top. He can't settle for second best, if he wants something he will do everything to get it won't he?"

Eponine stood frozen with her back to Montparnasse willing her body not to shake. She knew she shouldn't believe Montparnasse, he was not to be trusted, but his words still struck her core. Enjolras gave 150% to everything he did no matter what the task; it was his competitive edge, just like the barricade he built back in December.

Montparnasse's voice broke through the silence once more, "Just think about it Eponine? Everything makes more sense now doesn't it?"

* * *

The night was young but the sky was black as Enjolras went inside to the café. It was just about closing time but Eponine had the closing shift and he thought he could surprise her and give her a ride home.

"Hey Ep'" he greeted as he walked through the door, shrugging off his red hoodie as he did so, "you will never believe what I heard today. I got the best news."

"Yea I got some interesting news too." She responded in a voice that made Enjolras' stomach drop

It was then that his eyes landed on her. He expected to see her wiping down the table tops, counting the money, washing dishes or _anything _at all but instead all he saw was her curled up in the arm chair -her legs bent under her and her hand rubbing down the opposite arm- looking off into the window. She seemed to be completely shut down and cold, as if she was trying hard not to feel anything or show what she was feeling. Enjolras automatically strode over to her but as he got closer he slowed his step and took a more cautious approached. He looked over at the distraught girl with worry. She spared a glance at him and her eyes seemed full of pain, confusion, betrayal and doubt.

"Ep' are you alright?"

She looked at him with fire in her eyes, "Tell me was did you all think it was fun, like some sort of game? Did kissing me seal the deal? Did the boys need proof? Is that why they followed us?"

He didn't say anything.

Her eyes hardened, "So what exactly was I worth?" She demanded, her voice both strong and quiet, "$50 bucks, homework for a month?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." He said sharply but Eponine could sense a lie when she heard one.

She clenched her fists tightly before answered back in a deathly tone, "I know about the bet Aiden."

Enjolras flinched slightly but remained silent, his face looking completely blank.

"What's wrong?" she sneered, getting up from her chair and standing up against him defiantly. "No big words to save you now?"

Enjolras put his hands out in front of him in surrender, "'Ponine it's not like that…"

"So there wasn't a bet?" She asked, her eyes softened slightly and looked at him hopefully

He paused for a moment before sighing, "How did you find out?"

Eponine cringed in pain before her eyes filled with hate and her teeth grounded together, "Wrong answer….." She automatically moved to walk past him when he grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Eponine please listen to me! Yes there was a bet but-"

She stopped him, "What exactly were the terms Enjolras? What was I worth to all of you?"

He sighed and reluctantly told her the truth, "Losers paid for the winner's drinks at the café for a month…"

The look on her face was is someone had just slapped her, "So that's all I'm worth to you guys? A couple coffees?"

"No Ep-"

"So all this time it was a lie? You just wanted to get me on a date so you could win a stupid bet? You're competitive just couldn't let you lose could it? You would have gone above and beyond like you do for everything." Her voice was laced in pain and unshed tears made her eyes glisten.

His grip on her tightened, "Eponine it's not like that. I didn't ask you out because of the bet. I kissed you because I like you!" He explained but she would not look at him. "Don't you remember all those things I said to you at the dance?! I meant them all! I care about you Eponine! Believe me 'Ponine! I-I…."

She wrenched her arm from his grasp and looked over him, shaking her head as her teeth bit down hard on her lip. "Montparnasse was right; you do have one hell of a poker face."

Before he could do anything Eponine was out the door and out in the darkness of the night.


	41. Chapter 41

Enjolras gripped his phone tightly as it was pressed up against his ear. He waited in anticipation as the hollow sound of the ring came on his end of the phone.

"Hey, if you're hearing this it means you got my voicemail. Sorry for missing your call, but leave a message and I'll get back to you. Seriously, just leave a message. Thanks!"  
Enjolras groaned in frustration as he yet again listened to Eponine's voicemail message. It was late Saturday afternoon and Enjolras was still at his bedside, trying desperately to get ahold of Eponine. His clothes were in disarray, his hair was matted, and he had huge bags under his eyes from lack of sleep.

"Ep," he began frantically, "don't delete the message! It's me! I know you are really pissed at me and you have every right to be but please, listen to me! I know it looks bad, but you've got it all wrong! I'm sorry about the bet! I-"  
He was cut off by the machine. "We're sorry; the person who you are trying to reach has a voice mailbox that is full. Please try again later."

Enjolras let out an animal-like grunt and practically threw his phone across the room in frustration. Of course her inbox was full. It was 3pm on Saturday and he had been trying to talk to her since 10pm the night before, passing out around 3 am but waking up at 7am and getting back on track instantly. In that time, he had sent her about 34 text messages and called about 57 times (not that he was keeping count). At midnight, Enjolras was getting anxious. Between 7am-10am he calmed himself down by telling himself she was asleep; at noon he was back to being anxious, and now he was desperate- he had even gone to her house during the night, but no one would answer. The same went when he stopped by two hours ago. However, despite his persistent attempts, Eponine had not replied to a single one of his messages or answered any of his calls. The closest he got was Azelma texting him and telling him to stop texting her as he was wasting her monthly amount. In her words, "Eponine doesn't get unlimited text messages, unlike some ungrateful pricks." Enjolras got the feeling that Eponine told Azelma about the bet. But on the plus side, now his calls were ringing before going to voicemail, which meant that either her phone was back on or she wasn't automatically declining them- just ignoring them. It wasn't much, but it was something.  
Suddenly his phone dinged and Enjolras' heart skipped a beat. However, his face dropped when he saw it wasn't from Eponine.

_**Marius**: Is there a reason why Cosette is sending me angry text messages and calling you, me, and the rest of guys blockheaded idiots?  
**Enjolras**: Because we are.  
**Marius**: Please explain. I like knowing why my girlfriend is mad at me.  
**Enjolras**: The guys made a stupid bet and Eponine found out about it. So now she's pissed.  
**Marius**: Damn! Just how stupid was this bet?  
**Enjolras**: They bet on who could get Eponine to go out on a date with them first.  
**Marius**: Shit…I hate to say this dude, but you screwed up  
**Enjolras**: I didn't_ _do anything! I wasn't even part of the bet! I walked away when they were making it! I didn't think they were serious!_  
**Marius**_: Have you told Eponine that?_  
**Enjolras**_: I haven't been able to! She won't answer my calls! They keep going to voicemail! And Azelma told me to stop texting her!_  
**Marius**_: That's messed up, man._  
**Enjolras**_: Thank you, Captain Obvious_  
**Marius**_: Hey! I'm not the one who screwed up!_  
_**Enjolras**: I didn't do anything!_  
_**Marius**: Doesn't matter dude. You still have to fix this._  
Enjolras' phone dinged once again, signaling a text from someone else.  
_**Courfeyrac**: Care to tell me why, when I texted your girlfriend, she sent me a text telling me to "fuck off"?_  
_**Enjolras**: Thanks to you and your stupid bet, Eponine is pissed at me._  
_**Courfeyrac**: How the hell did she find out?_  
_**Enjolras**: I don't know! She just did and now she won't even talk to me! How the hell am I supposed to fix this mess when she won't listen to me?_  
_**Courfeyrac**: I don't know what to tell you, man. I would say wait till she comes around, but Eponine is like you; she's as stubborn as a mule._  
_**Enjolras**: I know that! I am so screwed_…

Enjolras groaned yet again and locked his phone before banging his head on the table. He knew he didn't do anything wrong, but Eponine wasn't budging. He had known her for almost three years, and if there was one thing he knew about her, it was that she was as stubborn as they came; she wouldn't move an inch or cave in anytime soon.  
However, Enjolras was known for never giving up either.

* * *

Eponine sighed as her phone lit up, yet again, in her pocket. She didn't even have to look to know who it was. Caller ID showed the caller to be just who she expected: Enjolras. The image staring back at her was a picture of him looking completely surprised as Gavroche pelted him with a snowball (the guys had hacked his Facebook and made it his profile picture without him knowing, and since Enjolras was barely on Facebook so they were still waiting for the moment when he found out). It was a fun picture that made Eponine laugh every time she saw it, but now it only made her cringe with anger. Ever since the night before he had been blowing up her phone non-stop, but she hadn't answered him once, not even when Azelma tried to convince her otherwise.  
"Come on, Eponine, at least talk to the guy!" she pleaded. At this point, it was midnight and he had been trying to talk to her a couple of hours.

"No!" Eponine answered back sharply

"Ep, come on, it seems like he really wants to talk to you."

She rolled her eyes. "What gave it away, the excessive calling or the text messages?"

"At least give him a chance! What if this is all just some big misunderstanding?" While Eponine had told Azelma about the bet, and Azelma had been pretty upset at first, she had a higher sympathy level than Eponine and was more willing to forgive.

"Zel, he bet on me! He and the rest of my so-called friends thought I was so pathetic that they could bet on who would take me out first! Do you have any idea how degraded I feel? I can't deal with someone who sees me like that."

After that, Eponine had turned off her phone and shut off the lights. She was done dealing with crap for the day and decided to let sleep calm her down. When she awoke the next morning and turned on her phone she found that Enjolras had called her 20 more times overnight and left a message every time. After hiding out in their house for a few hours, Azelma had convinced Eponine to go to Cosette's house with her, if for nothing else but a distraction from Enjolras. That is how she found herself sitting on the windowsill of Cosette's bedroom window, looking down at her phone once again as Enjolras' name flashed across the screen.

Cosette sighed as she watched Eponine push a button and slip the phone back into her pocket. "I know it hurts, but can't you at least let him explain?"

She glared at the blonde. "What is there to explain? There was a bet and he won. Everything makes so much sense now."

"Eppie, I know I haven't had much experience with boys, but I've seen the way Enjolras looks at you. His affections are genuine. There is no way all that was because of a bet."

"What if," began Azelma, "it all started off as a bet, but along the way he actually started to like you?" Both girls looked at her quizzically, "What! It could happen…."

Eponine sighed. "I don't care if he 'started to like me along the way.' He made his bed and now he has to sleep in it. Do you guys have any idea how I feel, knowing that I was just a part in their game? I feel used and pathetic! I actually care for Enjolras, but he doesn't care for me! I was so happy when he kissed me at the dance. I felt like I was finally worth something in his eyes. Every time he put his arm around me or smiled at me, my heart fluttered. No one ever made me feel like he did." A small smile played at Eponine's lips for a moment before her face hardened once again. "But everything was a lie; it was all part of the bet! I was the only one who felt anything! I feel so stupid for believing him. I told myself not to get swayed in; I warned myself that he would never go for someone like me, but I didn't listen! Now look where I am!" She was spitting out angry words and holding back tears. She had cried enough for a guy, she was a Thenardier; she wasn't going to let anyone hurt her.

The two other girls looked at each other not really knowing what to do or say. Finally, Cosette looked at her with sad doe eyes before giving up and leaving Eponine alone on the matter. Both Alzema and Cosette knew doing anything else wouldn't work; if Eponine was going to act that way, there was no way of getting her out of it. Instead, they went through Cosette's movie selection and picked out Mean Girls. While those two were off laughing, Eponine sat at the windowsill secretly hoping she was wrong.

* * *

"Are you sure this will work?" Enjolras asked

"Positive!" exclaimed Jehan, "Eponine isn't swayed by words- she is swayed by action! Plus lime blossoms are her favorite!"

Enjolras nodded and placed the flowers on her desk. By Sunday, Enjolras had gotten to a point where he was so desperate he went to Jehan, the romantic poet, for help. Jehan suggested that he buy her flowers and put them on her desk in AP Gov as an apology along with a note on Monday morning. What Enjolras didn't know was that lime blossoms meant lust in flower language. So imagine his surprise when, not only did Eponine not sit at her usual desk, Grantaire took her spot and knew what the flowers meant.

"Oh, I'm touched, Enjolras," teased Grantaire, "but I'm already taken."

Enjolras yelped and banged his head on the desk. The rest of the period wasn't much better as Eponine sat three desks away from him and barely ever looked at him, not even to glare. This Eponine was even worse than mad Eponine. Throughout the day, everyone had tried to give him advice on how to get Eponine to forgive him- the ideas included writing her a poem (Jehan), giving her a note (Marius), or just plain announcing it to her in the crowded hallway (Courfeyrac); but most of their ideas were awful. At one point, he flagged down Cosette in the hall right before her English class

"Enjolras, I'm not going to help you," she said timidly. "You really hurt Eponine."

"It wasn't my fault," he pleaded. "I wasn't even part of the bet! Please, Cosette, you have to help me! Eponine means so much to me!"

Cosette sighed. "Fine. But I don't know how much help I can be. Eponine is mad because she feels used; she thinks you only pretended to like her and that none of your feelings were real."

Enjolras pondered over that for a moment before a light bulb went off in his head. "That helps, Cosette, it really does. I think I know what to do now!"

xxxxxx

Eponine walked down the hallway to the auditorium, thankful that she had a place of sanctuary from the guys. The only thing bad about the auditorium nowadays was that Erik had stopped coming as often. She barely ever saw him anymore. When she entered the room, it was empty, just like she expected. Without a second thought, Eponine walked up to the stage and put her bag down by the piano. Her fingers were like ghosts over the keys, trying to decide what to play. She was about to play her first note when a sudden voice stopped her.

"June 5, 2010."

She jolted back in shock and her fingers fell upon the piano with a loud thud, "What?!"

"June 5, 2010." The voice repeated. Eponine looked out into the seats to see Enjolras get up and walk toward the stage

Eponine looked at him wide-eyed before shooting up and turning to leave.

"That was the day I started to have feelings for you."

Eponine froze in her spot. "I …I …I don't want to talk you," she stuttered

"You don't have to talk, just were at the park playing basketball and you joined in. You were waiting for Marius." He waited for a response from Eponine, but he got none, so he continued on. "He wasn't there but you didn't care; you said you would wait. After a while, the guys decided to take a break, but I didn't. I was shooting baskets and you called me out saying my technique sucked, so I challenged you to a game and the guys teased us from the sidelines. At one point you had the ball and you were right in front of me and you were making some snarky remarks at me." At this point Eponine turned a bit so Enjolras could see her face, "I remember how your chipped blue fingernails kept padding at the ball as you smirked at me. Your hair was shorter then; you couldn't even put it in a ponytail without tuffs coming out from the bottom. You smiled at me before sidestepping and making a perfect basket. You rubbed it in my face- how I lost to you- and at that moment, I felt something in my gut and I've been feeling that every time I've seen you since. I never said anything because I thought the feeling would pass, but it never did, Eponine."

Eponine looked at him with suspicion in her eyes. She bit down hard on her lip and willed herself to stay still. Enjolras took that as progress and inched toward the stage even more; he even hopped over the railing so he could actually get on the stage.

"Ep, I know you are mad at me, but believe me when I say the bet has nothing to do with my feelings for you. Yes, there was a bet, but I wasn't a part of it. I left when they made it." He sighed looked at her with pleading eyes. "I like you for you, Eponine."

She glared at him for a moment before softening. "Even with my irritating stubbornness?"

He smiled. "I wouldn't have you any other way."

"I don't know what to say," she said quietly

"Don't say anything, just come here."

With that Enjolras tugged on her hand and pulled her in for a hug. She automatically wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held him tightly, pressing him against her.

"I'm sorry," she muttered

"Don't be."

* * *

**Well i hope you enjoyed that lovely chapter. Thanks to all reviewers/followers/readers! I love you all. This chapter was beta read by the lovely nanowrimoneverends :)**


	42. Chapter 42

"It's so stupid!" Jehan exclaimed as he slammed his fist on the table in agitation. "Jack could have lived- they proved it on Mythbusters!"

"I know!" added Courfeyrac in agreement. "Rose just didn't want to let him live!"

"Talk about traitor," said Combeferre sarcastically.

"Well, they had no way of knowing that," argued Musichetta from her spot on Joly's lap. "What if they didn't want to take any chances?"

"They should have at least tried!" Jehan shouted. "And then she let his body fall to the bottom of the ocean! I mean, who does that?!"

"She had to let him go!" stressed Musichetta. "She couldn't exactly drag a cold dead body along with her! That's the point of the movie- letting go!"

"But she promised Jack she never would," disagreed Jehan.

"Hey, at least it's better than dying together like in Romeo and Juliet," sassed Musichetta as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Combeferre chuckled. "Ok, but Romeo and Juliet is just stupid- I mean, they knew each other for, like, a day!"

"Hey, sometimes a glance is all you need," countered Marius as he grasped Cosette's hand and smiled at her.

Combeferre ignored him. "Plus, Romeo was 'in love' with her cousin beforehand! And they were like 13! They weren't exactly in the right state of mind."

"I swear, Shakespeare had a thing against adolescent romance," commented Jehan

"Wasn't Leonardo DiCaprio in a movie version of Romeo and Juliet?" asked Courfeyrac.

"Yeah," answered Feuilly, glancing up from his sketch pad, "and he's gonna be that new movie, oh, what was it again…oh yeah, The Great Gatsby!"

Cosette pouted. "Doesn't he die in that one too?"

"Oh, The Great Gatsby," sighed Jehan, "such symbolism and power."

"Don't even get me started on Daisy!" exclaimed Courfeyrac. "Can you say 'bitch'?"

Enjolras sighed but kept his attention on the book in front of him. "It amazes me how passionate you guys get when it comes to books and movies."

"Well, we can't focus our attention on higher calls like you, Enjy," teased a voice from behind. "Some of us are actually normal."

Enjolras pursed his lips and rubbed his temple with his fingers. "Good to see you too, Eponine."

Eponine gave him a playful smirk before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek and taking the seat next to him. She didn't even spare a glance for the other people sitting around the table. She eyed the bottle of Pepsi sitting by his books and without a word she snatched it and brought it to her lips.

"Sorry, hon, but I start my shift in 10 minutes and I need a pick-me-up," she explained as she took a sip of the sweet drink.

Enjolras just sighed and shrugged his shoulders; there wasn't much he could do on the matter. Joly, on the other hand, widened his eyes and opened his mouth in shock.

"Eponine!" he exclaimed. "How could you just drink that? Enjolras already drank from it! Aren't you worried about getting mono or meningitis? Think of all the germs in Enjolras' saliva! You could die, Eponine!"

"Excuse me!" growled Enjolras. "I'm sure I am not that dirty!"

Eponine rolled her eyes and took another sip. "Joly, I've had his tongue in my mouth, multiple times. I don't really think I need to worry about things like that."

Gavroche cringed. "Oh yuck! Way too much information- thanks, I'm sure I could have gone on happily without that picture of Enjolras sucking my sister's face!"

She shrugged apathetically. "Blame Joly." Out of the corner of the corner of her eye she noticed Enjolras' cheeks darkening in color.

"I do…" groaned Courfeyrac as he massaged his temples

"Hey, I am just really concerned for your safety!" said Joly in defense

"My safety is not yours to worry about," Eponine said. "Besides, it's less about you being concerned for my safety and more about you being a germaphobe."

Joly opened his mouth in shock and Enjolras pursed his lips to keep from laughing as he quietly grabbed Eponine's hand under the table.

Grantaire cleared his throat. "Um, Eppie...are you still mad at us?"

Eponine didn't reply; instead she simply leaned her head on Enjolras' shoulder and looked at Joly. Although Eponine had forgiven Enjolras, she had not forgotten about the bet. She inquired about the bet in its totality. She found out who was involved, the stakes, and who started it. Fair to say, she was giving them all the silent 'dead to me' treatment.

"So, what did I miss?"

Musichetta shifted on Joly's lap as he recovered from his initial shock. "Not much," she admitted as she leaned her head on Joly's chest. "We were just discussing stupid plot points in movies and books. Like the stupidity in Romeo and Juliet."

"Oh, Romeo and Juliet," Eponine groaned. "That is 5 hours of my life I will never get back."

Enjolras cocked an eyebrow at her. "Only 5?"

She nodded. "I lost interest after a while and it gave me way too many headaches. Besides, I had better things to do than waste my time on that book. "

"Like write in your journal?" teased Marius.

"Shut up," she said as she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Ep," called Grantaire timidly, "you never answered my question."

Once again, she ignored him and turned her attention to Cosette and Musichetta who were in the middle of some big debate about which story was worse, Romeo and Juliet or Twilight with Cosette defending Twilight with her life. Normally Grantaire would have ignored her back, but at this point she had been giving him, Feuilly, Courfeyrac and Bahorel the silent treatment and evil eye all week and he was sick of it.

"Eponine Thenardier!" he bellowed, causing everyone to become silent.

Eponine finally acknowledged him with a dangerous look in her eye."Can I help you with something?"

He met her glare and gathered all his courage as he spoke to her. "May I talk to you alone for a moment?"

She spared one last glance at Enjolras before rolling her eyes and detaching herself from him. She followed Grantaire to the corner of the cafe and leaned against the wall while crossing her arms over her chest. To say she was irritated with Grantaire and the others was an understatement; she was infuriated. She looked at him and gave him a nod, signaling him to explain what he wanted.

He sighed. "Look, I know you're mad at me - and some of the others- due to the bet, but we're really sorry and-"

She cut him off. "I don't think you understand, R. The fact that you guys made a bet like that made me feel really degraded and pathetic. I can't believe my 'friends' would think of me like that- like I'm some horse in a race. I-"

"Are you going to keep ranting or are you going to let me explain?" he asked sarcastically, causing her to look at him with guilt in her eyes. He let out a laugh. "Look, Eponine, I love ya and all, but you really need to work on your listening skills. The bet wasn't supposed to be serious. It was my idea, we joked about it at lunch one day, it was right after you supposedly 'gave up' on men. It was supposed to be funny."

"I don't see how that was funny." she commented

"Stop interrupting, Eponine," he whined, causing her to flinch in shock. "Going on, the real reason we did it was because we knew Enjolras had a thing for you - it was obvious to everyone. I just thought if Enjolras thought he had some competition he would make his move quicker, before he lost you. The thing is, he left while we were still making it and you found out in an really inconvenient way. Come to think of it, how did you find out?"

"A little birdie told me," she said sarcastically

"Well, anyway, I'm sorry about this whole thing. We never meant to hurt you."

She glared at him fiercely for a few more seconds before finally softening her gaze. "You guys are such idiots."

"I know we are, but you did choose to be friends with us."

"True. I did," she said with a sigh. "You are real lucky we are such good friends."

He looked at her hopefully. "So does that mean you forgive us?"

"I might," she began as she glanced at her watch, "but at the current moment I have a shift I need to start. You know, I'm only a few paychecks away from a car and I'd really appreciate some generous tips, particularly from people who need some brownie points," she said as she patted his arm and gave him a wink. She walked away, leaving Grantaire too look after her in shock and the feeling that his wallet was about to get a lot thinner.

Eponine stretched out across Enjolras' sofa cushion and let out a deep sigh of relief. She half-sat half-laid across her half of the couch and threw on arm over the back of the couch. The position was completely unladylike but she didn't care. It was comfortable.

"Something tells me you're tired," Enjolras teased before kissing her on the forehead and taking a seat on the cushion next to her. After working, Enjolras asked if she wanted to come over and watch a movie and Eponine agreed without hesitation; it wasn't the first time she had been to his place (that would have been back after baseball tryouts and, back then, all they did was order Chinese takeout and study).

"Just a bit," she admitted. "I've been working a lot more lately. I'm only two paychecks away from a car and I am not giving up now."

"You know, I'm pretty sure Mr. Myriel would probably give you a raise, or even an advance if you asked for one."

"I know, but you know me- I hate charity. I work for my money, and Mr. Myriel has been so good to me already, I would hate to take advantage of him. Did you know he gave me a Christmas present?"

Enjolras shook his head. "I didn't until now."

"Well, he did," Eponine said as she sat up straight. "He gave me a new notebook after he saw how worn out mine was. You know, he's kind of become like a father figure to me."

"But you have a father," Enjolras commented, earning a glare from Eponine that made him change his opinion. "Right... forget I said that."

"Going back to me working, it also provides me an excuse to be away from home more."

Enjolras chuckled. "There's the real reason."

"And you know it!" She said with a smile. "So what are we watching today?"

"Well after rummaging through Netflix, I have it narrowed down to The Sixth Sense. Flatline, Kung Fu Panda and Warrior."

They both looked at each other for a moment before uttering Kung Fu Panda in unison. They selected the movie and shifted position on the sofa so they were both sitting up against the back of the sofa comfortably. Eponine brought her knees to her chest and hugged them while Enjolras draped his arm across the back of the sofa. Eventually, Enjolras moved his arm so it was draped across Eponine's shoulders and she, in turn, automatically melted into him and leaned her head against his chest. Her fingers absentmindedly drew small circles on his shirt and things seemed pretty relaxed, but there was something on Eponine's mind that had been plaguing her since Enjolras' confession on Monday.

"Enj..." she began timidly.

"Yeah?" he responded without a thought.

"On Monday you said that you've liked me since June 5th..."

"Right," he answered not really knowing where she was going.

"Of 2011," she finished.

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "What about that is concerning you?"

She sighed and sat up straight, detangling herself from him so she could look at him straight in the face as she spoke. "So you have liked me all this time, even when I was..."

"Heartbroken and pinning over Marius? Yes, though I never admitted it to myself. I simply told myself you were a friend, but it seemed my heart and my brain didn't want to correspond."

"So all that time I was depressed over Marius," she thought out loud, "and Cosette's party, the basketball game, Theodule..."

Enjolras nodded and answered simply, "Yes, yes, yes and yes."

Her hand flew to her mouth. "Oh, Enjy, I'm so sorry. That must have hurt so much." If anyone knew how much it hurt when the person you were pining over was not only pining over someone else but expressing their emotions to you, it was Eponine. She could only imagine what was going through Enjolras' heart when she blabbed non-stop about Marius. At least she had him to talk to; he probably didn't have anyone.

He shrugged as if the whole thing never bothered him. "A little bit, at times, but I tried not to be in touch with my emotions at that time. I separated myself from them."

She shook her head in disbelief. "I'm such an idiot. All this time I thought Marius was blind, but I was just as bad, wasn't I?"

"Well... to be fair, I didn't show my feelings in the way you did."

She bit her lip and looked at him sadly. "Enjolras, I am so sorry. I never meant to hurt you like that. Believe me, I know how it hurts." She looked down at her hands. "I've gotten mad at you so many times, but I should have known. I'm really-"

"Hey, hey," he said, cutting her off as he placed a hand under her chin. "Don't apologize so much. We've both been stupid at times, but that's in the past now, right?" She smiled at him and he brought her in for a hug before giving her a quick peck on the lips. He had cared about Eponine for a while, but the time she spent pining over Marius didn't hurt him as much- instead, it made him fall harder for her. "Though I have to say, it's nice having Eponine Thenardier admit she was wrong twice in one week."

She separated herself from him and playfully smacked his arm before giving him another kiss on the cheek. Afterwards, she put her head on his lap as he gently stroked her hair. They continued the movie in total peace and silence, completely comfortable with each other. It wasn't often that they got to spend time together without any worry or rush, but when they did, they basked in the moment.

"Hey, Ep," Enjolras said once Po got the dragon scroll.

She didn't respond; instead all he heard was soft snoring coming from the girl in his lap. He smiled fondly before reaching over to grab a nearly blanket. He settled himself in comfortably and draped it over them. Somehow, he felt better with with her there.


	43. Chapter 43

_"Maman, look at me!" cheered Eponine happily as she ran into the small room lightheartedly. She was wearing a new blue cap that she found on the kitchen table that morning along with a card and a new doll. The doll had a head full of red curls and was wearing a dress that matched Eponine's. She had had her eye on that doll ever since she saw it in the window of a small boutique when her mother took her into town weeks before. _

_"You look beautiful, darling," cooed Madame Thenardier as she saw her eldest daughter enter. "That hat suits you perfectly! Happy birthday, mon petite ange."_

_She picked up the young brunette firmly and hung her on her hip before planting an affectionate kiss on her cheek. Eponine giggled and wrapped her arms tightly around her mother's neck. At that moment, the door opened and the two women turned to see a tall figure with fiery red hair enter the room. He had a large smile on his face and quickly took his daughter in his arms. He laughed and she giggled loudly as he swung her around the room. She opened his arms as if she were an airplane and closed her eyes to help her better imagine. The air felt cool as she spun around and everything seemed perfect from her spot above her parents' heads. She felt on top of the world. She had parents who loved her and would get her anything she wanted- who could ask for anything more? When Thenardier finally put her down, he brought her to his chest and embraced her._

_"Happy birthday, my dear. I love you, my little 'Ponine."_

_"I love you too, Papa," she said, returning the hug._

_"Oh Eponine...My 'Ponine... 'Ponine...EPONINE!"_

"Ah!" Eponine sat up straight in her bed with a jolt. The early morning light streaked through her window and painted patterns on the cracked wooden floors as Eponine tried to focus her attention by wiping sleep from her eyes with the back of her hand. Her dream was a memory of a time when she was happy at home. The memories were scarce nowadays, but they came they were vivid and seemed real, making it all the more painful when she woke up. She was upset to have been woken up from such a nice dream in such an unpleasant way but not surprised; rude awakenings were a normal part of her life now.

A large pounding on her door did the last trick and confirmed her morning awareness. Usually, her father never paid her much mind unless he needed her or she was in the way; at this point Eponine could only guess the former was the reason.

"Eponine! Get your arse out of bed you lazy brat!" shouted the voice on the other side of her bedroom door.

"I'm coming!" she shouted back in irritation as she threw the covers off of her body and swung her legs on the side of the bed. She winced slightly when the cold air hit her body and made her shiver.

"Well, hurry up! Your mother decided to take a girl day and I am starving!"

She sighed in frustration. "You have two hands don't you!?"

"Don't talk to me like that, young miss! I am your father and you are living under my roof!"

"Yeah, I know," Eponine responded before lowering her voice to a murmur she knew he wouldn't be able to hear, "boy, do I know."

"And don't you forget it!" he yelled before stomping away loudly.

Eponine stared angrily at the door for another minute before letting her shoulders drop and rubbing her temples with a sigh. There was no use in resisting her father; besides, it was too early in the morning and she knew better than anyone you had to pick and choose your fights. She didn't like to think about how she learned this lesson. As much as she hated to admit it, she missed being eight. She always told herself she was strong and could handle anything, no matter what her past was like, but it was her happy moments when she was weak. They reminded her of a time she was happy and actually loved her family and they loved her. But times like that were well passed and gone.

"Eponine!" yelled her father through the door once more. "Hurry up and get out here!"

"I'm coming!" she yelled back with equal force in her voice.

"It's not my fault you are gone at all hours hanging out with those no-good, rich friends of yours when you know you know there is stuff you need to do here!"

"Yeah, like make your breakfast..." she muttered sarcastically under her breath.

"Just get out here and make me my bacon before I really lose my temper."

"Aye, aye, sir." She looked over to see the empty bed next to hers and was silently thankful Azelma was spending the night at a friend's house. Iif her father was this angry in the morning it could only get worse. As much as she hated her life, she hated it even more when Alzema had to endure the worst of it too. With another groan, Eponine sulked out of bed and into her closet to pull out a pair of jeans and an old purple v-neck shirt. Her days of new blue caps were well behind her.

When she made it into the kitchen she immediately got to work. She fried up her father's eggs and bacon while simultaneously picking up empty beer bottles from the counter- she would have made him some coffee too, but from a quick glance over toward him she could see his was already making due with a can of Heminkine. Once she gave her father his breakfast, Eponine gobbled down a banana and set to work cleaning the kitchen and the rest of the house, knowing her father would be even more upset if she didn't. Luckily for her the house was small, but unluckily her parents were slobs and left a mess everywhere they went. This extended from shoes left around the halls to bread crusts and dirty plates left everywhere else. Even with the house's small area it still took her well over two hours to pick everything up and make the place at least look clean- there was nothing she could do to get rid of the smell of alcohol that plagued the house ever since her father spilled a bottle one night during one of his drunken spurts or the stains that came with it. It didn't help that every few minutes her father would demand something else from her while he lounged around the living room writing and watching the horse races. She also took the time to vacuum the dirty carpet and wipe the counter tops. She found that she found cleaning a lot less enjoyable when it was her house rather than something at the cafe. The last thing she did was did was separate the laundry and set it out into baskets. The Thenardiers didn't have a washer and dryer- well, they did, but they were repossessed months ago when her father lost some money gambling- so every week or two she would have to go to the laundromat if she wanted clean clothes. It was a pain, but it was her life. Normally, she wouldn't work so hard at once or put so much time into her chores, but with her father watching her like a hawk there wasn't much else she could do.

Eventually, her father passed on in front of the television and Eponine took it as her window of opportunity. There were few things she learned from her parents in the recent past years of her life and one of those things was to take opportunity as it came to you- never waste it. When it came to things like that, she was an excellent student.

* * *

The mid-March air was cool and comforting in Eponine's face and hair as she walked down the shaded sidewalk on her way to the cafe. It was midday on a Saturday, meaning most people were out and about enjoying their weekend. Little kids were riding bikes and playing tag while some sat under trees and sucked on popsicles and others climbed trees and pretended they were all grown-up. It was days like these that made Eponine remember the life she used to know. She usually shoved those thoughts to the back of her head and kept them under lock and key, but every so often they would find a way to slip out and infiltrate her mind. Sometimes they would make her happy and send her off on daydreams, but other times, they would give her chills and make her realize what her life had become. As she walked, the latter became the result, and she found herself pulling her- well, Enjolras'- hoodie closer around her body. She accepted what happened to her family, she stopped dreaming her life would fix itself long ago - hope tended to give her more pain than anything else- but she never stopped wondering what her life would have been like. There were so many possibilities, yet she hadn't seen any of them. Sure, she had great friends, her siblings, and Enjolras but the lack of a good home life was something that always caused a hole in her heart that just couldn't be filled.

"'Cause if you won't grieve me you won't leave me behind!"

The sound of her ringtone going off made Eponine come out of her trance. Automatically she slipped her phone out of her pocket to see Marius' picture flash across the screen.

"Bonjour," Eponine answered with an overly thick French accent while noticing the first time just how close she was to the cafe, it was a block away.

The voice on the other line chuckled, "And here I thought Courfeyrac had a bad french accent." Eponine froze in her spot for a moment in confusion, the voice on the line was not that of Marius, however she recognized it instantly. "You know if you wanted a ride to the cafe you could have asked."

She rolled her eyes, not sure if the caller could see it but she did it anyway. "Well I happen to like walking. It clears my head and provides exercise. You should try it."

"With all the things on my plate I don't have time for walking."

"Well maybe you should take on less things Enjy, didn't I warn you that you would be gray haired and miserable by graduation if you didn't take on less?"

"That you did Ep that you did, but whether or not I will take your advice is a different thing."

"You can't see it but I am rolling my eyes at you!"

"I know, I can feel it!" He teased back

She chuckled, "I'm at the cafe door now so I'm going to hang up!"

True to her word Eponine hung up on him slipped her phone back into her pocket as she entered the cafe. Only Marius, Cosette, and Enjolras were present but that didn't seem to be a problem since Enjolras had his nose stuck in a book while Marius and Cosette snugged at had their happy couple moments. Being a third wheel was definitely something Enjolras did not worry about. Eponine took a seat next to Enjolras but kept silent as he studied. She added into the conversation Marius and Cosette where having, trying her best not to disturb Enjolras when she felt a hand on her thigh. She glanced over her shoulder to see Enjolras' nose still in his book but his hand comfortably on her leg. She sent him a warm smile but continued talking to the other two people at the table. It was a nice feeling having such easy conversation with everyone. They didn't really walk about anything life changing but that didn't really matter to her, not having to think made her calm.

Eventually the sound of Eponine's growling stomach echoed by Marius stopped conversation.

"Looks like someone is hungry." Teased Marius

Eponine stuck out her tongue, "I think the correct term is sounds."

"Touche Thenardier..." Marius responded with a raised eyebrow

The group decided to go out to eat somewhere else for lunch, the cafe was nice but they went there often and even the nicest places get old after awhile. They all decided on eating at a Mexican restaurant nearby. Once they sat down and got the menu Marius looked over it apprehensively.

"All this stuff looks really spicy..." he commented

Eponine rolled her eyes, "It's a Mexican restaurant Marius, spicy food is a given."

"Well I am sorry if I don't have the same spice resistance as you."

"That's an understatement. You have a baby tongue."

Cosette giggled, "I can so tell you guys are best friends."

"Well I would hope so," joked Eponine, "we have been for years."

"Yes," added Marius as he linked his arm with hers, "she's my BFFFL."

Enjolras cocked an eyebrow at her, "BFFFL?"

Eponine and Marius shared a knowing look before he grinned from ear to ear and and they replied to him together in perfect unison, "Best Female Friend for Life!  
Enjolras shook his head and picked up his menu, "I'm not even going to ask."

Eponine chuckled softly before patting him right in between this shoulder blades and leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Wait I want to know how that name came up!" Cosette chirped

Marius wrapped his arm around her and kissed her on the cheek before telling the story. "Well this all started Freshman year. Eponine and I were locker buddies and I ended up hanging out with her a lot during the year. She was pretty cool."

"What do you mean 'was'? I still am!" She said in a harsher tone than she intended.

"I know 'Ponine I know; anyway one day she asked me why I hung out with her so much if I already had a bunch of other friends. She wasn't the warmest person..." That comment earned him a tortilla chip in the face from Eponine. Grantaire wasn't lying when he said she had really good aim. "Either way I told her she was cool and I enjoyed her company. She then asked if she was my 'best female friend' and I replied with 'yes for life'. The acronym came after and it stuck."

"What a cute story!" Exclaimed Eponine

Eponine rolled her eyes and joined Enjolras in looking over the menu. While she was normally cheery and spunky her energy had been used up from cleaning the house earlier. When she no energy she tended to be a little more irritable and snappy. Cosette didn't know what to order and looked completely helpless as she read over the menu. After 10 minutes Eponine lost another nerve and she told Cosette to go simple and order some regular tacos. Marius ordered a burrito while Enjolras got red rice and beans with a quesadilla and Eponine got her favorite, Tamales. When they got their orders Cosette looked over her food with a curiosity as she poked it with her fork.

"Cosette it's just a taco! Eat it!" Snapped Eponine

"Ok..." She muttered timidly as if in fright causing Marius to shoot a warning look to Eponine who in turn just rolled her eyes.

Enjolras took a spoonful of rice in his spoon but out no where a sneeze came from him and he lost his grip on his spoon. The result was rice spilling all over his shirt. With a deep sigh Enjolras excused himself and went to clean himself off. Eponine took another bite of her food before deciding it was too dry.

"Cosette could you pass the salsa? The red one please."

Cosette was too involved in studying the guacamole in front of her to hear Eponine's request. Marius made no move to get her the salsa either. Eponine looked at them both in irritation for another moment before finally cracking.

"Cosette, the salsa," Eponine chirped with slight annoyance in her voice, "you heard me ask for something and i never ask twice." She teased

Cosette froze and the smile on her face vanished. Her eyes widened in something in between fright and shock and her lips parted in an 'o' shape as she took a double take at Eponine.

It was right before Christmas and little Cosette was looking out the window watching all the kids play in the snow while she was stuck inside sweeping the floor of the kitchen.

"Cosette!" Yelled a voice from far down the hall, "we are having guests over and I need you to go to the back shed and bring chairs for them!"

The little girl's heart froze, it was the middle of winter and the shed was a good block away from the actual inn, plus it was getting dark and she knew better than anyone that they didn't live in a safe neighborhood. Just then the raven haired girl she lived with bursted into the house with her sister and brother in tow behind her. She danced and skidded along the tile leaving wet slush on the floors Cosette just worked so hard to clean up but the brunette didn't seem to care- in fact she glanced over at Cosette with an evil glint in her eye, as if she was daring her to say something about messing up the floors. Cosette knew better and remained silent, anything else would not end well for her, which is just what the other girl wanted.

"Eponine!" cooed a loving voice, "How are you my darling? Oh you look so cute in that little blue hat sweetie." Eponine smiled at her mother before turning her head and pointing an accusatory finger at Cosette.

"Still here Cosette?" scolded a plump stout woman with black beady eyes and wild hair in a voice that chilled Cose, "I told you to go fetch the chairs from the shed in the back."

"B-but...but madame," pleaded the small blonde child, "it's dark and the shed is so far away. Please do not send me out alone! Not in the darkness on my own."

The woman slammed down her fist on the table and flicked her head to look at the scared little girl straight in the eye, "Now shut your face or I'll forget to me nice!" She brought her so face close that Cosette could smell the rum coming off of it, "You heard me ask for something and I never ask twice." She sneered.

"Oh my God..." Cosette whispered under her breath.

"Cosette, baby are you alright?" Marius asked in a distressed voice as he grasped her hand affectionately.

It all came flooding back to her- her childhood, the inn, everything. The memories of her days as a little girl that have been lodged in the back of her head bursted out. She remembered the gruesome couple who took care of her, or so they pretended. She remembered being ordered to clean dishes and wipe floors till her fingers pruned and she was soaked. She remembered crying at night for her mother to come pick her up, never wanting to admit that she abandoned her- she clung onto her doll to tight at night as if she could actually will her mother back to her. But most off all she remembered the children, the little brunette girl who lead around her younger sister and brother like her soldiers. That girl made her days a living hell, always tormenting her and 'accidentally' messing up the work Cosette worked so hard to finish. She had taken similarities to her cruel mother, and now Cosette could see it was the same. How could she have not realized it before? The girl looking at her now bared the same face as the one from the in, the pointed nose, the raven hair, everything. Eponine Thenardier, how could she have forgotten such an uncommon name.

"Cosette?" Eponine asked with worry in her voice

"Now I remember..." Cosette gasped in shallow breaths as realization came to her

"Cosette?!" Eponine repeated

"How can it be?" Cosette stated as she brought her eyes to meet Eponine, betrayal showing in them. "We were children together."

Eponine pursed her lips to keep them from trembling before nodding, she knew what went through Cosette's head. "Looks what's become of me." She responded sadly

Cosette looked at her in disbelief. She couldn't fathom what was going on. Eponine had become one of her closest friends but she was the same girl who tortured her as a child. After she left she remembered wishing that the cruel people at the inn got what was coming to them, and from the looks of it they did. She didn't want to believe it but she knew it was true. What hurt more was that Eponine knew the whole time and she never told her, how could she have kept such a big secret from her.

"How long have you known?" Cosette asked with betrayal in her voice

Eponine hung her head in shame, "Since day one. I knew it from the moment you introduced yourself."

"How could you never tell me!?"

Eponine looked at her with guilty eyes, "I never knew how Cosette... You can't exactly go up to a person and say 'hey remember me? I was the girl who teased you when we were kids! But lets forget all that and be friends now!'"

"Teased is an understatement!" Shouted Cosette. At the sound of her shriek Eponine flinched in fear and shock. Cosette was a gentle person by nature, very forgiving and calm, this change in temper made Eponine realize just how upset Cosette was. "You tormented me! You made fun of me, made me work twice as hard as I should have and you made the other kids at school hate me too! How could you have been so cruel?"

"Cosette I didn't-"

Cosette cut her off, "And you never even had the thought to tell me the truth! Where has all your courage and attention loving energy gone Eponine!?"

"Cosette I'm-"

"No!I don't want to hear it anymore!" she snapped as tears formed in her eyes and her voice cracked. "I'm out of here!"

With that Cosette jolted out of her seat and pivoted on her heel, leaving behind a confused Marius and a guilt filled Eponine. Marius brought his eyes to meet his close friend to try to see if he could get an explanation. Instead he was met with a broken looking girl who knew she had just been caught. He didn't want to believe what just happened but the look on Eponine's faced proved it all. He spared one look at his best friend before shaking his head and getting up to follow his girlfriend.

"Marius..." Eponine squeaked, pain prevalent in her voice.

"I can't believe this Ep. I thought I knew you." He said in a whisper

He pursed his lips and shook his head again, not even meeting her eyes, before turning and disappearing out the door. That hurt Eponine more than anything. Marius had been her first friend, he had been the only one who had even remotely cared for her when she first moved in. But now that didn't matter. It didn't matter that they had been friends for years or the history they had together. It didn't matter that she had gotten Cosette and him together or that she had done everything in her power to make them happy. All that matter was who she was. They casted her aside and Marius didn't even bother to hear her side of things. They left Eponine all alone again.

* * *

**Let me just say it now, I'M SORRY!**

**I swear this is becoming like a job, i was at the zoo the other day and the whole time i was waiting for my beta to send me a chapter update and when she did i tried to update over my phone while simultaneously watching a Tiger... Its like job but i love it! Honestly if writing could be my job i'd do it in a heartbeat**

**Thanks to nanowrimoneverends for being an awesome beta!**

**Thanks to everyone who reads this story! Please review!**


	44. Chapter 44

** I'm really sorry for the angst i caused in the last chapter. I've been planning that for awhile**

* * *

Enjolras groaned as he looked at his reflection in the mirror once more. With a wet paper towel in his hand and a patience that was growing thin he let out one last sigh and tossed his fifth paper towel in the wastebin. After wiping his shirt angrily for six minutes he gave up and decided to live with the oily stain on his shirt. If he had known the rice was so greasy he wouldn't have thought to order it. Taking one last look at his shirt he decided the stain was a lot less visible than before and he gave it his all. He ran a hand through his curly hair one last time before straightening out his shirt and heading out the door. As he walked over to the table he pulled his phone from his pocket and began scrolling through his emails. With college right around the corner Enjolras had everything set to go, from what he was studying to where he was going. However there was a internship he had applied for yet he still hadn't heard back from them. It was only the first few days into the window they said they he would contact him but he was still getting anxious over it. He was just looking through his last new email a when he reached the table and saw the back of Eponine's head.

"Next time I eat Mexican please remind me not to order something so greasy." He joked as he rounded the corner, "I mean I don't think everyone needs to know my shirt was hungry too."

"I'll keep that in mind..." responded a small broken voice

Enjolras' stomach dropped at the strained sound of Eponine's voice and for the first time since he left the bathroom he looked up from his phone and took note of the scene in front of him; it made his heart meet his stomach. Eponine was sitting there looking like she was about to crack. Her dead brown eyes were set on the glass on water in front of her while her front teeth were biting down so hard on her bottom lip Enjolras was afraid she would draw blood. One hand had her fingers curled around her mouth and the other hand gripped at the table so hard her knuckles were white. She looked three shaded paler than usual and her entire body was trembling, though Enjolras could tell she was she was trying to contain herself. The sight scared Enjolras and chilled him to the bone. In an instant he was at her side kneeling next to her. He reach out a tentative hand and placed in on her shoulder but she didn't respond in any way shape or form.

"Ep are you ok?" She licked her lips before pressing them together and shaking her head. "Ep what's wrong?"

She didn't respond.

Enjolras swallowed down the lump forming in his throat and flagged down a waiter who took his bill and to whom Enjolras gave a hefty tip. As soon as business was taken care of he took Eponine's hand and led her out the restaurant, his arm wrapped around her shoulders to hold her closely as they walked to her car. Eponine remained silence as they drove on, the only thing to accompany their breathing was the sound of the car tires going across the gravel. They drove around the cities' roads without a destination in mind- he knew she wouldn't want him to take her home but he didn't have an idea of where to take her. He spared a glance over at Eponine only to see her staring out the window. This side of Eponine scared him. She was a strong person and it took a lot to crack her, even back when she found out about the bet or Marius had fallen for Cosette she hadn't reacted like this. She did stare out the window and close herself off but that was nothing compared to what he was seeing now. Before she had blown up in his face and closed herself off, as much as he hated to admit it he prefered that Eponine to the one he was seeing now. She had channeled her emotions through sarcastic comments and angry outburst or simply by forcing it down, but he could tell it was too much to force down this time. She was trying to numb herself and lock away her pain but it was still finding a way to her through cracks in the walls.

"Eponine what's wrong?" He asked after a silent twenty minutes in his car, she didn't respond. "Please talk to me 'Ponine. I can tell you're hurt."

"I'm...I'm f-fine." She said forcefully while she willed her body to stay still but allowed her eyes to roam over to him. She shook her head and said nothing more, fearing she wouldn't be able to contain herself if she spoke. Finally after what seemed like an hour to them both she swallowed and took a deep breath before finally speaking. "C-could we pull over?" She said, her voice cracking, "I really need some air."

Enjolras nodded and without another word he pulled over. Eponine didn't even wait for him to turn off the ignition before unbuckling her seatbelt and sprinting out the door and onto the stone path of the riverwalk. Enjolras sighed and followed her, making sure to separate himself from her by at least a few feet. She wasn't the kind of person to let her feelings out into the open, it took lots of probing on his part - it always had- but he also knew that if he probed too hard she would sink deeper into her shell and it would be difficult to bring her back. The two of them walked on the stone path in silence, to Enjolras it was awkwardness but to Eponine it was familiar yet painful. After walking for God knows how long Eponine reached a familiar gap in the trees and snuck through to reach the river bank, without thinking Eponine sat down near the edge of the river and brought her knees to her chest before wrapping her arms around them and placing her chin on top of them. Enjolras quietly sank down behind her and leaned back on his hands. They both stared out into the river and watched as the leaves flowed across the water and the ripples spread across the surface.

"I should have seen this coming." Said Eponine, thoroughly breaking the silence.

"What?" Enjolras asked, shifting his body so he could face her.

"I should've seen this coming." She repeated, her eyes never leaving the water. "Life was getting good but it never stays like that for me. Karma was going to bite me in the butt." She wrapped her arms tighter around her knees and took Enjolras' silence as a cue to go on. "You're not going to like me much after this story."

"I severely doubt that." He said in a serious tone

She nodded, "When i was younger things weren't so bad at home, actually they were great, at least I thought they were. My parents owned this crappy inn in the middle of the city, for a time it was decently successful, even when we didn't make much money my parent scammed people to make ends me, and regrettably I helped them." She pursed her lips and let out a deep breath as if trying to prepare herself for the next part of the story, "Cosette used to live with us. She and her mother lived next door to us for a time but after a few months she couldn't make ends meet. So she moved to a more prosperous part of the city but she couldn't take Cosette with her as she knew she could make more money without Cosette holding her back. She asked my parents to take care of her, promising to send money every month to pay for Cosette's expenses. She didn't have any other family and she really didn't want to put Cosette in the foster system, I don't blame her. However our place turned out to be even worse than the system. My parents acted sweet around Fantine but as soon as she left all hell broke loose on poor Cosette. At 5 years old she was forced to become like a servant to us. My parents forced her to clean and do all kinds of chores around the house and she had no choice but to do it, she would get yelled at and spanked otherwise. She slept on the pull out couch in the corner of the living room, and her clothes were either crappy hand me downs from me and Azelma or really cheap stuff from the second hand store and garage sales. When she first moved in I tried to play with her and for a few weeks it was nice but eventually my parents told me not to because she was dirty and beneath me. I believed them. I treated her horribly! At first it was to please my mother but after awhile I guess i enjoyed it. I taunted her and teased her, I made messes just so she could clean them up or to get her in trouble. When it came time for us to go to school I made so it seemed like I walked above her. I was jealous of how pretty she was even with all the things we did to her, people were automatically drawn to her. So I made all the kids think she was pathetic. I was a bitch to her but I didn't know any better. My parents taught me to be that way." Eponine paused and pursed her lips once more in an attempt to force back the tears in her throat, "For three years she lived in that torment but eventually her salvation came. Right around Christmas time when we were eight this man came to the inn and paid off her mother's debts and then some. She was taken away and I was left thoroughly confused. He took her away and I watched them as they walked down the street, she looked so happy with him. Well anyway he gave my parents a lot of money for her and my father was overwhelmed. He gambled it all away and soon became a compulsive and we lost so much money due to that. We went to into debt we had to close the inn and move. 'Luckily' one of his friends was able to pull some string and move us into this crappy two floor termite hole. After that things kept getting worse. I became the scum of the street, I was a pickpocket, a look out, pick-lock, scout, everything and anything. I became the person who everyone taunted and spit on." Her voice cracked and a tear spilled from her eye, " My parents were no help to me, they cared more about money than they did about me and Azelma and Gav. I had to grow up and leave everything behind me, I had to make this shell and force everyone out because I couldn't afford to be weak, I had to be strong. There was no other way. I didn't want people to feel sorry for me so I pushed them away. Fair to say I became someone no one wanted to mess with me." Eponine wiped her face and blinked away more tears forming in her eyes, "When I befriended Marius he was the first person who was genuinely nice to me in a long time. He didn't look down at me and he wasn't scared of me either. I began opening up to him and he slowly helped me peel away my stone walls. He actually seemed to care for me and for once I felt important." She paused and took a deep breath, "When I saw Cosette a few months ago I knew it was her but she didn't remember me. Why would she? I was horrible to her and she moved on to bigger and better things. She wanted to be my friend though so I automatically said yes, partly for her partly because I wanted to redeem myself. Then Marius and Cosette fell for each other and the pain came back. I was loosing my once source of happiness to the girl who I took it from. Ironic no? I did everything in my power to get them together though. I owed it to them both and I just wanted them to be happy. But it doesn't matter anyway, they don't care. I went through so much pain but they still pushed me aside like I didn't matter. I don't really blame them I have done so much worse but...but they were my closest friends Enjolras! They made me feel like I was cared for and I was actually important in their lives, it's thanks to me they were together! I actually had value! But they left me and I don't matter any more! They hate me just like everyone else! I'm alone and I don't know what to do!"

By this point Eponine had let all her walls crumble and she was sobbing into her knees, her hard exterior finally cracking after taking the last blow it could. Enjolras looked at her with pain filled eyes before wrapping his arms around her and bringing her to his lap and cradling her, even the strong needed someone at times. Eponine looked up at him with a sad smile before collapsing her head onto his chest and holding him tightly.

"I'm here." He whispered softly

"That's all I need to know."

* * *

Montparnasse bared his teeth in his rear-view mirror as he waited for the rest of the gang to show up. After two weeks of planning it was finally show time. After hearing which house they were robbing Montparnasse decided to do his own research on their target house and he had to admit he was pleased with Thenardier's selection. The house was big, secluded and best of all it was practically empty. He heard the muffle of cars come up behind him and he knew it was time to go. They all parked a block away from the house to avoid suspicion and dressed in dark colors to blend into the night. This was just like any other house they had raided but to Montparnasse it was going to be a lot more enjoyable. Everyone met up and silently crept through the neighborhood to reach the house. As always he was sent out first since he was the fastest and stealthiest, best for the job. However as he neared the house he saw a familiar figure that only made him smile wickedly.

_Oh this will be fun._

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**I have some big plans for the next chapter and the more reviews i get the quicker it will be up! I promise!**

**Thanks :D**


	45. Chapter 45

**Btw I saw Graceland on Thursday (it was awesome btw, if you love Aaron Tveit you should see it) and I was tweeting while i watching (as i always do now) and Manny Montana (Johnny in Graceland) replied to my tweet! I was a happy camper**

**I am a Beta now! So if you want my help be sure to let me know. I'd be happy to help!**

**Please remember to review! I will love you all so much if you could review. You already spent time reading the chapter, can't you spare 5 more seconds for a review?**

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"I'm not so sure about this..." Eponine said timidly as the car made it's made its way down the graveled path

"'Ponine the best way to handle this to just tell her and be honest."

"How do I know if she will listen?"

"You just have to take a leap of faith."

After her confession to Enjolras earlier the two of them had sat at the river bank for a while without really saying anything; Enjolras simply held her while she stared off into the rippling water and rested her head on his shoulder. Words weren't exchanged but they didn't need to be. Eponine had felt her world crumble around her and it had hurt. She didn't like feeling so much pain. she prefered the ting of numbness, it was something she was used to and oddly enough it was in her comfort zone. She was use to being strong and forcing everything down, anything different was foreign to her. Enjolras on the other hand had the wheels in his head turning. Much like Eponine he didn't like dealing with unpleasant emotions; however unlike her he didn't just force them down, he used them to help his drove and motivation. He hated seeing Eponine like this and he wanted nothing more than to think of a way to help her. She was one of the strongest people he knew but at the moment she looked so cold and numb and inside it scared him. Eventually he decided enough was enough and stood up from where he was seated on the soft dirt. Eponine flinched at the loss of his warmth next to her before tilting her head up to see Enjolras' outstretched hand angled toward her. Eponine pursed her lips and tentatively wrapped her hand around his, allowing him to help her up to her feet. They stare at each other for a moment before Enjolras gave her a gentle tug and she automatically pressed herself against his chest. Enjolras kissed the top of her head before he wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair while she in turn buried her head in his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck while taking in his comforting scent. Leave it to Enjolras to be the one person who can always make her defenses go down without even trying. Eventually after a few moments Enjolras let her go and instead grabbed her hand. He lead her to his car and when she asked where he was planning on going he revealed his plan.

"You have to talk to them." He told her simply as they walked down

She looked shocked, "But they're pissed at me. They probably won't listen to me."

"'Ponine you need to have a little more faith in people. They are your closest friends."

She held back the urge to roll her eyes, "Faith? Faith in people is something I lost long ago. People change due to the smallest things and many times they let you down. You should know by now that I don't trust anyone." She whispered the last part under her breath but Enjolras heard it and it made him cringe even if he didn't say anything. "Besides what if they still hate me even after I explain?"

"Well then at least you tried."

That is how the two of them found themselves parked in Enjolras' car right in front of Cosette's house. Along the way Eponine had seemed to grow more and more accustomed to the idea but she still held her doubts and worries.

Enjolras turned off the ignition and looked over at Eponine who took a moment to collect herself and take a deep breath before flinging off her seatbelt and getting out of the car. Enjolras followed suit and walked by her side as they neared the gate-like entrance to the Fauchelevent property. They got within a foot of the entrance before Eponine froze and pursed her lips. Enjolras tightened his grip on her hand and looked over to see her dilemma. He sighed and turned her to so they were standing in front of one another and gripped her shoulders.

"I'll go in first to try to warm them up ok?"

Eponine looked up at him with a gracious smile and gave him a small nod in thanks. Enjolras pressed his lips to her forehead and gave her a quick hug before disappearing behind the gate. Enjolras looked at her dark outline one last time before turning his full attention to the house in front of him. He knocked on the door swiftly and stood there waiting as he heard footsteps on the other side of the door. Within moments the door opened but much to Enjolras' dismay he saw it was Cosette's father who opened the door. The older gentleman smiled at the young man warmly and invited him in. From the way he was acting Enjolras assumed that Cosette and Marius hadn't mentioned what happened to her father- the thought gave Enjolras a sense of relief. He told him that Marius and Cosette were in the living room if he was looking for them. Enjolras thanked him and made his way to meet them. When he reached them he saw Cosette seated at the loveseat with Marius next to her as her fingers played with the locket around her neck while her other hand wrapped around Marius'. The couple apparently hadn't noticed him come in and he coughed loudly to make his presence known. Marius head automatically turned to the noise and in an instant their eyes met. Marius instantly stood up and separated himself from Cosette who in turn glanced over at Enjolras before returning her gaze down to her lap where a few pictures were placed. She looked very confused and pained. It was as if she was trying to make sense of everything she had learned. Marius stood up straight and walked over to meet Enjolras by the doorframe, his expression was unreadable.

"I assume you heard about what happened?"

Enjolras nodded, "Eponine told me Cosette remembered their history as kids."

"Did she tell you how she was a bitch to Cosette as a kid and made her life hell?"

Enjolras clenched his fist and nodded stiffly, "She told me everything. Like how she has changed since then and how sorry she is for everything."

"Of course she would say that." Marius scoffed

"She means it Pontmercy!" Enjolras sneered through his teeth, trying his best to keep his anger under control

"You are only defending her because you like her!" Marius shot back, "And here I thought you were the marble statue. Cosette remembered everything and let me tell you that what she went through as a kid is chilling and she didn't deserve any of it! However thanks to Eponine she had to endure the worst of it. She isn't who we think she is Enjolras."

Something cracked in Enjolras and he strode forward until he was but a foot from Marius, "Don't tell me you are forgetting everything she has ever done for you." Enjolras all but yelled at his face, "She may have made mistakes in the past but she has learned from them changed for the better." He looked between the two other people and continued, "You both know her homelife is crap, don't you think she is paying for her mistakes? She has been nothing but a good friend in all the time you have known her. She puts everyone before herself and does all she can to make you happy. Don't you forget that she is the reason you two are together! She delivered the letters between you guys, set up your meeting and she even went with you to that stupid Black Friday sale so you could get Cosette that gift for her birthday!"

Cosette's ears perked up at that and she turned to face Enjolras, "What?"

Enjolras nodded, "Eponine fought tooth and nail to get you that kindle case. She dislocated her shoulder and sprained her ankle thanks to some crazy shopper who wanted the case too. And to think she never even called you out for it or made you feel sorry! She never does! She has forced down her emotions too many times to count and it's all thanks to you guys. Do you know how many times she has put on a happy face just so she wouldn't hurt you! And to think how hard it must have been since she was practically in love with you then." The moment those words were out of his mouth Enjolras regretted them all.

Marius eyes opened to the size of saucers and his mouth gaped open like a fish, "What?"

Enjolras grimaced and tried his best not to make eye contact with either of them. He had just revealed one of Eponine's biggest secrets and it killed him inside. She had trusted him and he blew it, she would never forgive him if she found out.

"Eponine is in love with me? Marius asked spellbound

Enjolras gulped, "No...not anymore."

Cosette stood up with a puzzled look on her face, "What do you mean not anymore?"

"When she first met you she liked him. That entire time she was getting you two together she had feelings for him."

Cosette gasped, "I can't believe she would do something like that..."

"She wanted you guys to be happy." He explained with a defeated tone

"I- I never knew..." stuttered Marius, "It must have killed her on the inside."

"Still think she hasn't changed." Enjolras stated coldly

Marius opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by a bloodcurdling scream.

* * *

Eponine leaned on the gate with her arms crossed over her chest as she watched Enjolras' disappear into the large house. Her heart was beating five times faster than normal and her stomach was doing somersaults like a gymnast. She didn't want to lose her closest friends, it would kill her on the inside and she didn't know if she could handle it. She hoped that Enjolras was doing an effective job at convincing Marius and Cosette to forgive her. Eponine hummed softly to herself in an attempt to distract herself and calm her nerves. It was a simple melody she would sing to Gavroche and Azelma when they were scared or sad.

"That's a lovely song." Sneered someone behind her

Eponine automatically stiffened and stood up straight. She knew that voice and it was always the bringer of trouble, "Montparnasse..." She hissed through her teeth.

"My dear 'Ponine! Aren't you happy to see me?"

She scoffed, "Not particularly."

"That hurts 'Ponine that really hurts."

"You act as if I care."

He let out a dry chuckle and leaned against the gate next to her, "What's with the attitude? I thought we were past that."

"Just because you think it doesn't make it true. Actually when it comes to you it's most likely not." She answered back. "Now you asked me something so now it's my turn to ask you. What the hell are you doing here Parnasse? It's a little far from your usual place."

Montparnasse gave her a wicked grin and touched her cheek, "Look at that you called me Parnasse! I knew you didn't completely hate me."

She rolled her eyes and slapped his hand away, "Answer the question you dick."

"Back to that are we?" He sighed apathetically, "Well if you must know your father target this house for a clean sweep."

Eponine widened her eyes, "A c-c-clean sweep? You have to be kidding."

Montparnasse causally kicked his legs out in front of him and grinned, "Sorry love I am dead serious. This house is the Patron-Minette's next ticket. We are going to rob them dry."

If Eponine was nervous before now she was frantic. Not only was this Cosette's house but Marius and Enjolras were in there. Not only would they get hurt but after learning about her past they might think she had something to do with it and led them all there.

_Oh lord somebody help me! Oh God what do I do? They'll think this is an ambush and they think I was a part of it. What do I do? What do I say? I've got to warn them here! I've got to find a way to fix this!_

Eponine gripped the bars of the gate to try to get a glimpse of the inside of the house but it was no use, trees and bushes blocked her view. Her hand automatically flew to her pocket to see if she could get her phone but found her pocket to be flat against her leg. She cursed silently as she realized she left her phone in Enjolras' car. The car was only 20 feet away but she knew she couldn't very well get to the without one of them seeing her and calling her out, that would not have turned out good for anyone. She heard noise coming from down the road and out of instinct she pressed herself against the side of the fence and crouched down to hide herself from view, she knew Montparnasse wouldn't reveal her, it would be no fun for him if he did. Her heart raced in her chest like a horse on the track and she swore it was so loud her father's gang would hear her. She did her best to keep her breathing steady and still her body but on the inside her mind was screaming and she was scared for her life. She tightly gripped the metal bars of the fence as she crouched near to the ground and her old converse dug themselves deeply into the soft soil. She let out long quiet breaths as she heard her father's voice come above everyone else's. He revealed that this was the house he had his eye on for a while and that it would bring them all riches. Hardly any people lived in it and those that did would be all too easy to handle. He let out a sinister laugh and Eponine could hear the greedy voices of the other gang members agree in response. Fear kept growing in her gut and she had to clench her teeth together to try to control herself. But it wasn't enough. Out of the corner of his eye Claquesous spotted her hunched near to the ground and took upon himself to act. Before Eponine could react he had leaped over and grabbed both of her arms, pinning them behind her back as he all but dragged her to the others.

"Who is this hussy?" hissed Thenardier, his rotten beer-smelling breath reaching Eponine's nose and making her want to upchuck right where she stood.

Brujon scoffed in their faces, "Its your brat Eponine! Don't you know your own kid what she doing here hanging around us?"

Eponine wrenched herself away from Claquesous' arms and turned her scrunched nose up high as it challenging her father. Thenardier did not take that lightly and took his daughter's elbow harshly as he led her away from the group.

"Get home Eponine! You're not needed in this robbery."

She glared back at him, "Didn't I tell you I was done with that?"

"Doesn't matter just get going you brat! We have some important business here. This house is going to make us filthy rich."

"Oh please," Eponine scoffed, yanking her elbow from her father's grasp and quickly thinking up of a plan, "This house is worthless."

The gang did not react well to that and they were soon met with a bunch of grunts and outburst.

"She doesn't know what she is saying boys."

"Yea I do." She challenged back, "I know this house!"

Thenardier let out a animal-like snarl and yanked Eponine by her hair painfully, forcing her to look him in the eye, "You be careful young miss. You think you are so smart but don't forget there are five of us and we aren't afraid to take drastic measures to keep you quiet." He then threw her on the ground where she landed with a painful skid on her knees.

Eponine returned his snarl and looked at him with fire in her eyes, "You don't scare. I don't care if you have knives, I have my hands. There may be five of you men but I am a woman, the odds don't matter to me. Nothing you do could scare me because I know you are just a cowardly crook with a bunch of stupid minion who follow you blindly. Even to house that will get you guys nothing!"

Thenardier didn't hesitate in slapping her in the face before reassuring the boys the house was golden. Eponine held her ground.

"I'm telling you if you go in there it will be waste of energy. There is nothing in there worth stealing." She yelled as she flung herself to the gate

"Now you better get out of the way girl and watch your mouth!" Thenardier responded back with an aggressive look in his face, "I've been studying this house for weeks! It's priceless."

"No it's not!" She yelled, her face matching his in aggression. Her father made another step toward the gate and Eponine responded by flinging herself onto his back in an attempt to tackle him down.

From the side the gang chuckled. "What an interesting sight to see a dog and his daughter fighting for blood on the street."

Thenardier finally had it and threw his daughter off his back with a grunt and Eponine fell flat on her side onto the hard pavement with a loud thud. Pain shot through her body but she swallowed it down an

"Don't you dare take another step toward this house!" She bellowed

"Or what?" Challenged Thenardier

Eponine scrunched up her nose like an attack dog, "Or I'll scream! You wouldn't want that! I'll warn them and the entire neighborhood. Someone is going to see you no matter how swift you are or do you really think you can evade a whole neighborhood on watch." She taunted, "You may be quick but you aren't invisible."

Thenardier shook his head in a warning way, "You scream and you will regret it!"

Eponine stood there waiting with a fierce look in her eye as if she was ready for battle at any moment. Thenardier and his gang scoffed at her and moved to climb the gate without giving her a second thought.

"I told you I'd do it! I told you I'd do it," She hissed through her teeth before taking a deep breath and opening her mouth. "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

The men all jumped back in fear as her screech reached their ears and echoed across the neighborhood.

Thenardier acted the quickest and flung himself into Eponine's direction. His bony hand wrapped itself around Eponine's throat and gave it a slight squeeze, effectively cutting off her scream. Eponine choked and curled her hands around his wrist out of instinct.

"You are going to regret that young miss." He hissed wickedly into her ears. The tone in his voice was something Eponine only heard once or twice in her life and it chilled her to the bone.

He flung Eponine to the ground yet again and gave her a hard kick to her abdomen causing Eponine to yelped out in pain and cringe. Thenardier took one last look at her before instructing the rest of his men to run and following suit, leaving Eponine lying there curled up in pain while trying to force back her tears.

"Eponine!" She heard a voice call

At the sound of her name Eponine automatically stood up and sprinted away, she didn't know who called her and but she was too afraid to find out. Instead she ran away as fast as she could into the dark night. She didn't know where she was going she didn't care, she just needed to get away. She heard footsteps following after her and out of fear she forced her legs to move faster. Her legs burned and she could feel something wet coming down her cheeks, whether it was blood or tears she didn't know, but she pushed that aside and kept running. At one point she tripped over a curb and felt the pavement skin her elbows, hands and knees but even with the piercing pain she pushed herself up yet again and started off on another run. She would have gotten farther away if it wasn't for a strong hand grabbing her wrist and pulling her back.

"No!" She yelled defiantly. She flung her arms frantically while whipping her head and body around in an attempt to free herself.

She opened her eyes to see a familiar face staring back down at her.


	46. Chapter 46

**Clifthangers!? Aren't they just amazing. Sorry for the wait but I've been distracted as of late. This chapter didn't get to where I wanted but it got long enough and i decided you all needed an update before the suspense killed you.**

**thanks to everyone for reviewing or reading the last chapter! It means so much that you do! Please keep doing so**

* * *

Eponine found herself looking up at a familiar face. She had been so afraid when she heard her name being called that she didn't think to stop and look to see who it was. Growing up as the daughter of a con she learned to run first ask questions later, it was a lesson she learned the hard way when she was nine after her father's first attempt at pickpocketing went awry but since then it had saved her more times than she could count. For as long as she could remember she had run away because it was the only way to make it out of anything in one piece. The years of her childhood summer days were all a big mix of running through people,, over curbs, across alleys and fighting off anyone who got to close. It seemed as though old habits died hard.

However he second her dark brown eyes met the blues ones staring down at her she felt herself relax. She stopped clawing at her captor's chest and her arm went limp in relief. She expected Enjolras to relax with her but instead he just seemed to stiffen and an expression that Eponine couldn't place spread across his face. His eyes surveyed over with a scrutiny that made her cringe. He looked her up and down and her skin felt hot as his eyes trailed her. His jaw clenched and he brought a hand up to her cheek causing Eponine to flinch slightly as he hovered a thumb from the top of her temple to cheekbone.

"What the hell happened to you?" He asked in a voice filled with pain

Eponine took a moment to process what he said and finally spared a thought for herself as the pain kicked in, the adrenaline reaching it's end. She winced in pain as she felt a strong sting going up and down her leg and a throbbing echo across her stomach and side before automatically bringing her hand up to where Enjolras' previously ghosted over only to be met with something sticky and wet. When she lowered her hand to her face she saw her fingertips streaked with blood. Her breath caught in her throat and she stood frozen for a moment before her legs started to get wobbly and she rested her arm against Enjolras' chest.

"I don't think I can stand up straight at the moment." She muttered softly before completely collapsing against Enjolras and using him for support.

Enjolras automatically wrapped his arm around her waist and a jab of fear stabbed him in the gut as he felt Eponine grip his t-shirt tightly.

"Are you alright?" He asked sincerely even though he knew it was a stupid question; she looked like hell.

She nodded slightly and took a sharp breath as she straightened herself up. Whether she liked it or not she was a Thenardier and she was strong. She wasn't going to get a little pain get in her way, and she certainly wasn't going to let anyone see her so weak in such a state. Enjolras was one of the only people who had a glimpse of what life was like for her yet he never looked down on her or made her feel pitiful, and she certainly wasn't going to let him start now.

She grimaced, "I'm fine."

She attempted to move from him but she winced in pain causing Enjolras to sigh and tightened his arm around her. Eponine didn't protest and the two of them without further instruction the two of them slowly made their way back .

"What the hell happened to you?"

"I don't want to talk about it." She muttered softly

He began to protest, "But Ep-"

She cut him off, "Aiden please! I don't want to discuss what happened. It's not your concern."

Enjolras stopped mid-step and his grip on Eponine tightened even more, "You're hurt 'Ponine, and don't even try to say otherwise!" He looked at her with a serious expression that told Eponine she needed to listen, "When you're hurt 'Ponine I need to know why! You're my girlfriend and I care about you. It's killing me to see you looking like this and it scares me that you aren't telling me how."

Eponine sighed and bit her lip, her eyes meeting Enjolras' with a pained expression. Part of her wanted to tell Enjolras about it. Part of her wanted nothing more than to bury her head in his chest and reveal everything to him- her pain, her fear, everything- but she couldn't, it just wasn't in her nature. She knew if he knew it was her father who did this and that he was going to rob Cosette's house Enjolras would spare no thought before calling the police, that's what any normal person would do, but Eponine couldn't let that happen. If the police were called things would be even worse, the system was not a nice place for people like her and her family, if anything it would ruin her life even more.

"Look your secrets are your burden, mine are mine. Just leave it at that."

Enjolras looked deeply into her eyes, trying to see if he could will he that way but he knew it was a lost cause. Eponine was nothing if not stubborn.

"Fine I'll drop it for now but we need to get you home, or at least somewhere to clean up."

She snorted, "Yeah home is the exact opposite of where I want to go I mean- oh crap..."

"Ep what is it?" Enjolras asked as Eponine froze and her eyes grew to the eyes of saucers. "Eponine what's wrong?"

"Give me your phone." She said in an urgent tone that confused Enjolras. There was no malice in her voice but it seemed as if time stopped for her at that moment and nothing else was touching her.

"What?" He asked in confusion

"Give me your phone!" She repeated, her tone even more serious

Without another thought, and slightly due to fear, Enjolras took out his phone and handed it to Eponine. She automatically punched in his password, Patria, and began furiously pushing buttons like there was no tomorrow. She stepped out of Enjolras' grasp and separated herself from his as she pressed the phone against her ear and turned so her back was to Azelma. In the silent night he could hear the soft ringing coming from the phone accompanied by the tapping of Eponine's foot.

"Come on, come on." Eponine muttered excessively while waiting for the person on the other end to answer her call. She bit down hard on her bottom lip and brushed her hair back in impatience. The wait was killing her and every second the dread in her stomach was growing.

Finally the line clicked, signalling pick up from the other end.

"Hello?" Answered a tired voice

"Azelma!" Eponine all but yelped, "Where are you?"

"Home...why?"

Eponine didn't answer her question, "You need to get out of there now!"

"Why?"

"Because I just did something really stupid and you need to get out of there now! Please Azelma just leave. Pack a change of clothes and all the money in the can. Trust me on this!"

"Eponine you're scaring me..."

"I'm sorry, I'll explain later. Can Grantaire get you?"

"Yea, he just left but I'm sure he isn't too far away."

"Great! Have him pick you up and get somewhere safe. The cafe is good, or even his house for a bit."

"You trust me at his house at night?" Azelma teased

Eponine rolled her eyes, "I'm not in the mood for this Azelma, just get out of there ok? And do it quickly."

"Alright." Azelma answered

With that the line went dead and Eponine handed the phone back to Enjolras. He took it cautiously and slipped it back into his pocket without taking his eyes off of Eponine. That entire exchanged confused him. He knew he promised not to push her to answer his previous question and tell him what happened but now that promise was getting harder and harder to keep. He opened his mouth to ask but Eponine only snatched his hand and commenced dragging him back to his car. The walk was awkward. Enjolras was trying to wrap his head around everything- confusion, anger, worry, concern, and fear running around his mind- while Eponine was just trying to make it to his car with a determined look on her face. She was in what she had deemed 'stone-mode'. Whenever she wanted to block everything out and get by she would force everything out of her mind and turn to stone. If Enjolras was the marble statue she was the stone soldier, and no one ever messed with her when she was like that.

They were about twenty feet from his car when they heard someone call. Eponine spun around on her heel to see Marius running toward them with Cosette in tow.

They approached the couple with worried expression and Marius instantly began blabbering.

"Oh my God Eponine! Are you alright? Oh of course you are not! We heard a scream coming from outside and it chilled us to the bone. Enjolras automatically sprinted out here to see what happened and we followed him but by the time we got there he was long gone. But are you ok? Speak to me 'Ponine!"

Eponine caught sight of Cosette from the corner of her eye and gulped, "Yeah I'm f-"

Enjolras cut her off, "No she needs some attention. She is scraped up pretty badly and we need to get her cleaned up. Can she use your bathroom?

"Of course" Cosette answered softly

Eponine felt stuck to the ground and it took Enjolras pushing her to finally get her to move her feet and make her way toward the house. They all stepped into the front foyer of the house and in the light of the chandler more of Eponine's wounds were clearly visible. She had stopped bleeding but dried blooded still trailed down her face from a cut on her temple, her left cheek was red while small cuts and scrapes seemed to sprinkle across her entire face. Her arms also had purple bruises forming around one elbow and a large cut going from her elbow to shoulder on the other. From the holes in her jeans small peaks of scrapes and bruises were also prevalent on her knees and thighs. Overall it looked like she had just come out of a bar fight. Cosette took one look at her and let out a gasp, without even uttering a word she grabbed Eponine's hand and lead her away to the bathroom.

Enjolras and Marius were left there standing together awkwardly and watching as the blonde dragged the brunette away. Enjolras stood still for one moment contemplating his next decision before sighing and taking out his phone. There was one more call he needed to make.

Meanwhile just down the hall Eponine didn't even have time to process what was going on before she was seated on the toilet and watching Cosette flip through the medicine cabinet. No words were exchanged between the two girls, making the sound of the running water from the sink and crickets outside the window seem like an orchestra. A tangible tension filled the air, it was so thick they almost choked on it.

It wasn't until Cosette was pouring some hydrogen peroxide onto a rag that they finally spoke.

"What happened to you?" Cosette asked in a cautious voice as she handed Eponine a wet rag.

Eponine shrugged, "I'd rather not talk about it."

Cosette chuckled softly, almost too softly for Eponine to hear, "Well as your nurse I would prefer if I knew what I was dealing with."

Eponine looked up at the blonde with dull eyes not really sure how to take that. Had Cosette forgiven her? Were they back to being friends or was she just being nice because she was hurt?

"Let's just say I didn't go down without a fight." She replied as she wiped the rag on her face to get rid of the dried blood that was already getting crusty. The warm water felt nice on her face, especially since her parents had decided against paying the gas bill for the past three months and they were stuck with nothing but ice cold water coming out of every faucet.

"Well don't leave it there!" stressed Cosette as she took a seat on the edge of the bathtub

Eponine licked her lips before continuing, "I get very defensive and I have a need to protect what's important to me."

Cosette looked at her with a pained expression. Whatever Eponine was hiding was hurting her immensely yet she wouldn't share it. Silence filled the room again and neither girl could look the other in the eye. It was almost as if they were two strangers stuck in a room together. Eponine began working diligently, putting all her attention on her injuries and taking care of them. Cosette handed her band-aids absent mildly and Eponine gave her a small nod in thanks, the only thing her mind would allow her to do. When they were finished and Eponine sat there all bandaged up neither knew what to say so Cosette pursed her lips and stared at some cracks in the ceiling while Eponine's gaze went to her folded hands on her lap.

Finally Eponine couldn't handle the silence.

"I'm sorry." She said bluntly without looking up

Cosette nodded but didn't turn toward her, "I...I know."

Eponine gulped, "I'm sorry for everything I did to you as a kid. I didn't know any better. I'm sorry for not telling you either. I swear Cosette I never meant to hurt you further! I just..."

Cosette snapped her head down and her lip quivered as she looked at Eponine, "I'm sorry too!" She cried, "I shouldn't have reacted like that! I'm so sorry Eppie! It was mean of me to jump to conclusions like that."

Eponine nodded and bit down on her lip, "What I did was no better, I was a brat as a kid and I didn't even have the guts to tell you the truth."

Cosette nodded and threw her arms around Eponine for an apology hug. It was a nice gesture but due to the fresh cuts that littered Eponine's skin it stung, badly, and Eponine winced in pain.

"Oh I'm sorry Eppie...again." She stuttered as she let her go

Eponine dismissed it with a wave of her hand while her other arm wrapped around her stomach.

"So does this mean you're not mad at me anymore?"

Cosette shook her head, "No, I can't believe I ever was. I mean after everything you did for me."

Eponine shrugged, "It was nothing."

"Oh yes it was! You became my friend when I first moved here. You showed me around school and town. You even helped Marius and I get together."

"Yeah I know... I felt that you two deserved each other." Eponine replied as she cleaned up the medical supplies.

"It must have been so hard since you liked him too."

Eponine stiffened and almost dropped the bottle of peroxide on her hand. "What?"

"I said it must have been so hard getting me with Marius since you like him too." She repeated innocently.

Eponine gulped before scrunching her nose and gripping the edge of the sink. "Who told you that?"

Cosette could sense she put her foot in her mouth and tried to think of a way to fix her mistake, "What? Oh no one...t-told me I um, just, have great intuition!"

"Cosette you are a shitty liar. Who told you!?"

She looked down so not to meet Eponine's eyes. "Enjolras," She replied timidly, "he did when he came in before."

Cosette heard some rustling and looked up only to see Eponine gone and the bathroom door thrown open. In a heartbeat she was on her feet and scurrying down the hall only to reach the foyer and see Eponine march up to Enjolras so angrily that rage was radiating off of her.

_Oh crap..._

Enjolras had his back turned to them and only noticed them when Eponine pulled the back of his shirt harshly and yanked him back to face her. Her expression alone scared him. She looked angry, hurt, betrayed and pained all at once.

"What the hell man!?" She yelled in a voice he hardly ever heard, "You told them!"

Enjolras didn't need any further explanation, he knew exactly what she was talking about. He had regretted saying it the moment the words slipped out of his mouth. "Ep I'm-"

"Don't you 'Ep' me! How could you?"

He looked at her with regret in his eyes, "I didn't mean to. It just slipped out."

"Oh it just slipped out?" She taunted him, "That's bull! Of all people to let this spill to you tell it to them?! I trusted you Enjolras! In my world letting anyone know your secrets is like playing Russian Roulette, you take a chance but if the odds aren't in your favor you don't get another chance. What next you will just 'spill' all the other things I revealed to you? Will you finally call the cops? Are you going to let them ruin my life too?!"

Marius took it upon himself to step in, "'Ponine relax. It wasn't his fault."

Eponine took one look at Marius before she was flooded with a whirlwind of emotions that she couldn't handle. Her heart sped up to the speed of racecars and she felt like she was going to be sick. It was finally out in the open and at a horrible time too.

She shook her head as if trying to block everything out before pivoting on her heel and running out the door, "I can't handle this!"

And like that she was gone.

Enjolras stood there frozen as he watched her run away. He knew he screwed up big time, this time it wasn't even the other guys fault, this was all on him. The feeling in his gut was worse than anything else he had ever experienced. Guilt was a very powerful thing.

Marius gave him a light shove, "Well go after her!"

Enjolras shook his head, "No I can't. She needs to cool off."

_Besides she's right, I did call them._


End file.
